KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: 1. Professional/Clinical Leadership Accept personal responsibility and accountability for your infection prevention and control practice. Ensure that you are familiar with, and comply with, all relevant policies. Ensure that you receive mandatory updates in infection control. Develop practice in the assessment of health and wellbeing needs. Develop practice in addressing individuals health and wellbeing needs. Promote peoples equality, diversity and rights. To assess, develop, implement and evaluate programmes of care, co-ordinating the holistic needs of the patients. To be responsible for the organisation of nursing care of the patients who have been assigned to the team. To take measures to ensure the safety of patients, which includes delegation of patient care to nurses with the appropriate levels of skills at all times. To report any untoward incidents/accidents to Matron. Establish and maintain communication with individuals and groups about difficult or complex matters, overcoming any problems in communication. Lead work teams in the development of knowledge, ideas and work practice. Clinical Governance Promote best practice in health, safety and security. Contribute to quality improvement. To facilitate research based practice within their Ward and ensure appropriate implementation. To ensure that nursing procedures are implemented and maintained in accordance with the Policies of the Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust. To ensure good standards of practice in the Ward through effective quality assurance measures such as clinical audit programmes. To ensure all staff are conversant and comply with Trust Policies and regulations, and attend compulsory lectures as instructed. To monitor the safe and effective use of all equipment and the economic use of supplies, ordering replacement equipment together with maintenance of that equipment. Accept personal responsibility and accountability for your infection prevention and control practice. Ensure that you are familiar with, and comply with, all relevant policies. Ensure that you receive mandatory updates in infection control. 3. Management To ensure that a duty rota for the staff within the unit will provide effective and well-balanced cover to meet with the requirements of a 24-hour service and ensures the presence of a suitably qualified and experienced nurse at all times. Taking into account the budgetary constraints. To liaise with other Ward/Department Managers within the Directorate and other Directorates as necessary, to place workload and skill mix as effectively as possible. To inform and discuss with Matron any problems regarding nurse management. Allocate, co-ordinate, monitor and assess the work of teams and individuals. To manage the Unit allocated budget effectively to remain within financial constraints. To ensure effective two-way communication with all disciplines so that patients receive optimum care. Plan, obtain and deploy physical and/or financial resources. To provide information for and participate in studies to determine workloads, patient dependency and quality assurance. To maintain accurate records relating to all aspects of management. To participate in a rota of cover in the absence of Matron. Contribute to the development of services. 4. Staff Development To ensure all staff reach their full potential by enabling them to develop professional, clinical, managerial and communication skills, which will be identified through the use of PDR. To plan and participate in the teaching programmes of learners in accordance with their objectives, working closely with the University. To develop the role of nursing and undertake training and assessment to extend clinical skills as appropriate to the area. To identify areas for development of skills in accordance with the NMC guidelines. Develop knowledge and practice in an area of work. To ensure effective training and educational programmes are available by liasing with appropriate personnel to meet the training and educational needs of staff in the clinical area. This post carries continuing responsibility for the management of the clinical area, including the deployment and supervision of staff. 5. Professional To maintain a professional attitude at all times, developing the role of the nurse in the best interest of the patient and professional in accordance with the NMC Code. To promote a positive attitude for the profession and the Trust within which you are working. To be aware of personal and professional development. To attend courses and conferences as appropriate to the service and individual development. To be conversant and comply with Trust Policies and regulations, and attend compulsory lectures as instructed. Participate in research projects where appropriate, reporting findings within a multi-disciplinary framework. Implement research where appropriate. 6. Personnel To participate in the selection, interviewing and induction of new members of staff. To be involved in manpower requirements in line with identified service developments. To monitor staff performance and organise staff appraisals. To be responsible for the maintenance of day to day discipline within the environment and to initiate, when necessary, the disciplinary procedure. To support staff in relation to professional and personal matters. To make Matron aware of all hazards/unsafe practices and ensure all accidents/untoward incidents are reported in accordance with the laid down procedures.