Job overview
Palliative Discharge Clinical Nurse
Department: Cancer Services
Band 6 - £35, - £42, per annum pro rata (Fixed term 6 months only)
Hours: 22.5 per week, all MKUH roles will be considered for flexible working (Monday, Tuesday, Friday shift pattern is a must)
The Palliative Discharge Clinical Nurse is a role that supports our palliative rapid discharges. This is an integral part of our team as it enables patients at EOL to achieve their preferred place of care and preferred place of death. This role will require the person to have a flexible and positive approach as
well as being able to prioritise tasks under pressure. This post also requires the individual to support patients and their families with emotional and psychological support through some challenging and complex conditions. The post holder needs to be able to communicate empathetically and support patients, their families and or carers and staff with difficult conversations and decisions. The post holder needs to be able to work collaboratively and effectively with the palliative and EOL Care
Team, multi-disciplinary team and all internal and external service providers.
Ideal candidate would need to have significant experience as a registered nurse with some experience or interest in palliative and EOL care. This post is fixed term part time (22.5 hours per week) for a period of 6 months only.
Interview Date: 7th June
Main duties of the job
The Palliative Care Discharge Clinical Nurse will provide support and advice to patients deemed to be within the last weeks of life, irrespective of their disease, in the acute setting and collaborate in the care provided by the CCG, Rapid Response Service and primary care.
Referrals to the service are expected to come from all ward areas and A&E within the acute hospital. The aim of the referral process is to ensure that referrers are able to quickly access the service and then achieve a timely response.
A key part of the role of the Palliative Care Discharge Clinical Nurse is to raise awareness of the service within the acute and community settings, identify preferred place of care and death, expedite discharge to preferred place of care where this is possible and undertake the initial primary care visit to ensure seamless transfer of care from the acute hospital to home and admission guidance.
The enhanced discharge service will act as part of a range or resources to other professions providing palliative care, including physical, psychological, social, spiritual support and bereavement care in order to enable the most appropriate service for patients and their carers.
The post holder must function as an integral member of the Palliative Care Service in the hospital to enhance the provision of palliative care between hospital and community settings.
Working for our organisation
You can expect a warm welcome at Milton Keynes University Hospital, our staff are friendly and welcoming. We listen to each other and work together to embed our Trusts values and behaviours. At MKUH we appreciate our staff and reward them with an outstanding benefits package including:
1. Free on-site parking
2. Free tea and coffee
3. Great flexible working opportunities
4. Discounted gym membership
5. Lease car scheme
6. Generous annual leave and pension scheme
7. On site nursery (chargeable)
8. Extensive staff health and well-being programme
Milton Keynes University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, in partnership with the University of Buckingham, is a University Teaching Hospital; we conduct research and teaching on site to improve the care of our patients. The hospital is undergoing significant investment, and we are proud to be rated good by the CQC. Visit our website to catch up on our latest news.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
In collaboration with members of the Palliative and EOL Care Team and the multi-disciplinary team, assess the needs of the patients, families and other carers and provide specific advice or support as appropriate. The main tasks and responsibilities associated with the Nurse post includes:
9. Proactively identifying and managing treatment plans for patients involving their relatives and carers in the process.
10. Arranging care packages for patients at the end of life.
To act as a Palliative Care Discharge Clinical Nurse, to support and facilitate Rapid Discharges ensuring patients at EOL achieve their preferred place of care and death.
To work collaboratively with other clinicians involved in the delivery of cancer care to achieve evidence based best practice.
To be involved in and initiate new and innovative programmes of education and training to multidisciplinary healthcare professionals, which facilitate changes in practice.
Please refer to Job Description for further details.