Job summary ITU is an 11 bedded combined High Dependency and Intensive Care unit that cares for patients who are critically ill; providing all aspects of nursing care and multidisciplinary rehabilitation after critical illness. The jobholder will play an essential role assisting the Ward Manager/ Senior Nurse with the 24 hour continuing responsibility for the effective and efficient management of the intensive care unit. They will contribute to the provision of professional, clinical, managerial leadership and supervision for the nursing team. The jobholder is responsible for helping to develop and maintain a ward or departments philosophy that has the patient at the centre of compassionate safe and quality care delivery. As an experienced nurse the jobholder will assist in co-ordinating activities on the intensive care unit ensuring effective communication is maintained at all times, providing support to qualified and unqualified nurses within the ward/dept. They will play a key role in the assessment of patient care needs and the development, implementation and evaluation of programmes of care. Main duties of the job The post holder will work on a combined intensive care and high dependency unit and will support the Ward manager/ Senior Nurse in the day to day management and coordination of the unit. Will assist with managing the administrative and financial aspects of the ward and the jobholder will support the cost effective use of resources. Undertakes specialist assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of clinical care for caseload of patients/clients. Provides specialist advice to patients/clients/carers Is an accountable practitioner. Maintains records as autonomous practitioner. Skilled at assessing and managing risk. Accepts the responsibility for decisions made and actions taken. About us If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes. We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented From April 1 2024 we are unable to offer sponsorship for healthcare roles that do not meet the minimum salary, If you are in the UK on a VISA please ensure you have no restrictions that would prevent you from taking this post. Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents Date posted 31 December 2024 Pay scheme Agenda for change Band Band 6 Salary £37,338 to £44,962 a year per annum, pro rata Contract Permanent Working pattern Full-time, Part-time Reference number C9439-24-1307 Job locations Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust Hollyhurst Road Darlington County Durham DL3 6HX Job description Job responsibilities Leadership Support Senior Sister / Charge nurse in providing leadership to the clinical team Support and inspire staff to provide efficient, effective, safe, quality care to patients Deliver a positive patient experience Promote the building of effective teams and collaboration between teams Anticipate problems and take preventative or mitigating actions, or have contingency plans available Assist in the line management of the nursing team, including individual and team performance, attendance, management and workforce planning Help to ensure the effective deployment of staff is mapped against the flow of patients to provide safe and effective care Support and participate in local and trust-wide recruitment events Help to manage the use of bank and agency Support the senior sister / charge nurse to Investigate and respond to accidents, complaints, untoward incidents and other significant events Support in the delivery of an effective, safe, quality service within budgetary envelope Raise and respond to concerns with regards to risk, danger, malpractice or wrongdoing by following the whistle blowing policy and supporting processes Deputise for Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in their absence Clinical Act in accordance to the Nursing and Midwifery Councils Code: Professional Standards Practice and Behaviour (March, 2015) Fulfils the requirements as directed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council to maintain and revalidate registration Supervise ward staff with regards clinical practice and patient experience to promote the delivery of excellent clinical standards Provide a visible clinical lead and role model to the nursing and wider team by delivering high quality compassionate care as an expert practitioner Ensure that documentation standards are maintained in accordance with NMC and CDDFT guidelines, whether written or computerised. Promote and maintain positive working relationships between all staff, internal and external to the Trust, involved in the care of patients Help to set, monitor and seek to continuously improve standards and the quality of patient care, including those standards defined in local and national guidance Maintain a safe working environment Ensure the safe use and efficient management of equipment and supplies Promote compassionate evidence based practice, wherever possible Work with Ward manager/ Senior Nurse to ensure that clinical governance processes at ward/dept level encompass measures to ensure the quality of the fundamental and essential aspects of care Balance clinical risk and clinical decision making against context Work with the Infection Prevention and Control Team and Facilities to monitor the environment to maintain and raise standards Undertake duties on other wards or departments as and when required by the service Act in such a way that safeguards the health and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults at all times. Is familiar with and adheres to CDDFT safeguarding policies. Quality Improvement Has a responsibility to improve the quality and safety of our services. It is expected that in fulfilling a clinical leadership role you will be proactive in promoting continuous improvement and contribute to quality improvement programmes as required Keep up to date with and communicate service developments, advances and research. Through the use of audit, local research, metrics and feedback continually seek to identify practice that needs improvement. Implement and evaluate any resultant improvement plan. Actively promote patient involvement and feedback within service improvements to promote a positive patient experience Maintain and sustain the momentum of improvements until they are firmly embedded into the values and culture of the clinical area Education and Training Participate in personal appraisal and mandatory training at the required time periods Help to ensure all new starters, inclusive of temporary staff, have a local induction to the clinical area Help to ensure all staff have an individual performance development plan and a yearly appraisal Help to ensure all nursing staff maintain mandatory and priority training requirement. Support and facilitate re-validation for registered nursing staff, and self. Promote a learning and development culture to the improve staff skills, knowledge and competence Help to ensure the induction and development of staff Promote a positive learning environment within the clinical area to support the development of knowledge and skills in learners. Support and facilitate work-based inter-professional learning This is not an exhaustive list of roles and responsibilities, and these may be subject to change with professional and service developments Job description Job responsibilities Leadership Support Senior Sister / Charge nurse in providing leadership to the clinical team Support and inspire staff to provide efficient, effective, safe, quality care to patients Deliver a positive patient experience Promote the building of effective teams and collaboration between teams Anticipate problems and take preventative or mitigating actions, or have contingency plans available Assist in the line management of the nursing team, including individual and team performance, attendance, management and workforce planning Help to ensure the effective deployment of staff is mapped against the flow of patients to provide safe and effective care Support and participate in local and trust-wide recruitment events Help to manage the use of bank and agency Support the senior sister / charge nurse to Investigate and respond to accidents, complaints, untoward incidents and other significant events Support in the delivery of an effective, safe, quality service within budgetary envelope Raise and respond to concerns with regards to risk, danger, malpractice or wrongdoing by following the whistle blowing policy and supporting processes Deputise for Senior Sister / Charge Nurse in their absence Clinical Act in accordance to the Nursing and Midwifery Councils Code: Professional Standards Practice and Behaviour (March, 2015) Fulfils the requirements as directed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council to maintain and revalidate registration Supervise ward staff with regards clinical practice and patient experience to promote the delivery of excellent clinical standards Provide a visible clinical lead and role model to the nursing and wider team by delivering high quality compassionate care as an expert practitioner Ensure that documentation standards are maintained in accordance with NMC and CDDFT guidelines, whether written or computerised. Promote and maintain positive working relationships between all staff, internal and external to the Trust, involved in the care of patients Help to set, monitor and seek to continuously improve standards and the quality of patient care, including those standards defined in local and national guidance Maintain a safe working environment Ensure the safe use and efficient management of equipment and supplies Promote compassionate evidence based practice, wherever possible Work with Ward manager/ Senior Nurse to ensure that clinical governance processes at ward/dept level encompass measures to ensure the quality of the fundamental and essential aspects of care Balance clinical risk and clinical decision making against context Work with the Infection Prevention and Control Team and Facilities to monitor the environment to maintain and raise standards Undertake duties on other wards or departments as and when required by the service Act in such a way that safeguards the health and wellbeing of children and vulnerable adults at all times. Is familiar with and adheres to CDDFT safeguarding policies. Quality Improvement Has a responsibility to improve the quality and safety of our services. It is expected that in fulfilling a clinical leadership role you will be proactive in promoting continuous improvement and contribute to quality improvement programmes as required Keep up to date with and communicate service developments, advances and research. Through the use of audit, local research, metrics and feedback continually seek to identify practice that needs improvement. Implement and evaluate any resultant improvement plan. Actively promote patient involvement and feedback within service improvements to promote a positive patient experience Maintain and sustain the momentum of improvements until they are firmly embedded into the values and culture of the clinical area Education and Training Participate in personal appraisal and mandatory training at the required time periods Help to ensure all new starters, inclusive of temporary staff, have a local induction to the clinical area Help to ensure all staff have an individual performance development plan and a yearly appraisal Help to ensure all nursing staff maintain mandatory and priority training requirement. Support and facilitate re-validation for registered nursing staff, and self. Promote a learning and development culture to the improve staff skills, knowledge and competence Help to ensure the induction and development of staff Promote a positive learning environment within the clinical area to support the development of knowledge and skills in learners. Support and facilitate work-based inter-professional learning This is not an exhaustive list of roles and responsibilities, and these may be subject to change with professional and service developments Person Specification Special Skills & Knowledge Essential Ability to work effectively as member of the team as well as practicing autonomously Effective decision making skills and ability to problem solve Capability and motivation to undertake continuing high level self-directed learning Excellent and effective communication skills -verbally and written, excellent interpersonal and organisational skills Ability to effectively organise and prioritise own and team workload Ability to work effectively under pressure in an often stressful environment Ability to cope with emotional issues presented in the course of work and to support others Act as a role model and as a mentor/assessor Flexibility and adaptability to meet the needs of a changing service Commitment to the development and provision of high quality nursing care Awareness of professional responsibilities to self and others Desirable Involvement in specialist groups Qualifications Essential Adult Nursing qualification Current NMC registration Evidence of ongoing professional Development Post graduate Critical Care course A teaching/ mentoring qualification and/or the ability to facilitate and mentor the learning of others Desirable Leadership and Management Course Statutory Registration Essential Registered qualified nurse. NMC Registration Experience Essential Significant relevant post qualification experience in a critical care setting. Desirable Appropriate proven leadership and management experience Experience of change management Budget awareness Evidence of participation in staff development including appraisal process Person Specification Special Skills & Knowledge Essential Ability to work effectively as member of the team as well as practicing autonomously Effective decision making skills and ability to problem solve Capability and motivation to undertake continuing high level self-directed learning Excellent and effective communication skills -verbally and written, excellent interpersonal and organisational skills Ability to effectively organise and prioritise own and team workload Ability to work effectively under pressure in an often stressful environment Ability to cope with emotional issues presented in the course of work and to support others Act as a role model and as a mentor/assessor Flexibility and adaptability to meet the needs of a changing service Commitment to the development and provision of high quality nursing care Awareness of professional responsibilities to self and others Desirable Involvement in specialist groups Qualifications Essential Adult Nursing qualification Current NMC registration Evidence of ongoing professional Development Post graduate Critical Care course A teaching/ mentoring qualification and/or the ability to facilitate and mentor the learning of others Desirable Leadership and Management Course Statutory Registration Essential Registered qualified nurse. NMC Registration Experience Essential Significant relevant post qualification experience in a critical care setting. Desirable Appropriate proven leadership and management experience Experience of change management Budget awareness Evidence of participation in staff development including appraisal process Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Additional information Disclosure and Barring Service Check This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions. Certificate of Sponsorship Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab). From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab). UK Registration Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window). Employer details Employer name County Durham & Darlington NHS Foundation Trust Address Darlington Memorial Hospital NHS Trust Hollyhurst Road Darlington County Durham DL3 6HX Employer's website https://www.cddft.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)