Nurse Associate - Frailty Prescot
Job description
We are very excited to announce that due to the success of our Frailty Service in the community and the hospital an exciting expansion and development opportunity has arisen. We are now looking to recruit an enthusiastic and motivated Nurse Associate to join our dynamic team of dedicated Frailty Nursing and Medical Staff.
The post holder will provide direct patient care, screen and identify the frail older patients on the Ambulatory unit and ward, and in the acute trust. The successful candidate will support the acute frailty unit to improve pathways for patients who are experiencing an acute crisis and decompensating frailty. We have also expanded into a community Frailty Virtual ward, Urgent Community Response , as well as A&E case finding with the Advanced Nurses
You will be as an autonomous expert practitioner, offering a patient-centered holistic approach to care planning and maximizing independence and well-being of those living with frailty.
The Acute Frailty Unit is based on Bevan Court 1 in Whiston Hospital; a purpose-built specialised frailty and step up step down unit. The post holder will be a part of the Frailty Team and work across the Frailty Unit in our ambulatory unit and on the ward in Bevan court as well as working in the community.
The post holder will be expected to work different shift patterns, across a 7 day service.
This role of the Nurse Associate (NA) is as part of the Frailty service working with the Registered Nurses and Geriatricians and other members of the multi-professional team, providing, and monitoring high quality care and contributing to the ongoing assessment, as agreed with supervising clinician(s) and in line with the service pathways. They will monitor the condition and health needs of people within their care on a continual basis in partnership with the multi-professional team.
The NA has a breadth of knowledge across the lifespan, providing holistic and person-centred care and support for frail older people in an acute setting. The NA will work independently under the leadership of the registered nurses, working within the sphere of nursing and within all aspects of the nursing process, the NA will work autonomously on the ward / A&E/ in the community.
NAs are equipped with the knowledge, understanding, skills, attitudes, and behaviours relevant to employment; and will act in accordance with Trust guidelines and policies. The role will work across the Acute Frailty unit, Community Frailty, Urgent Community Response and A&E is operational 7 days a week, rotating across the whole of the Frailty Serivc
St Helens and Knowsley Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is the only acute Trust in Cheshire and Merseyside, and one of the few in the entire country, to achieve the title of OUTSTANDING, rated by the Care Quality Commission.
We provide a full range of acute adult services to our local population of circa 360,000 and provide tertiary services across a much wider area in the North West, North Wales and Isle of Man. We are a Major Trauma Unit and the Mersey Regional Burns Unit.
Our '5 Star Patient Care' strategy is at the heart of all that we do; supporting our vision to provide world class services for all our patients by getting it right for every patient, every time.
Our latest achievements include:
- Acute Trust of the Year – HSJ Awards November 2019
- Trust rates Outstanding by the CQC – Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers and Health Service Journal)
- Best acute Trust in the North West for quality of care (NHS Staff Survey 2021)
- Best place to work in the North West (NHS Staff Survey 2021)
- Standard of care
- Best place to work
- Care of patients being the Trust’s priority
- Staff engagement
- Staff morale
- Compassionate and inclusive
- Providing a safe environment for staff
The Nurse Associate will:
- Deliver high quality, person-centred care under the direction of a Registered Nurse or other registered care professional, dependent on setting
- Have proficient attitudes and behaviours compatible with NHS Values
- Work as part of a designated clinical and care team delivering care that focuses directly on the needs of the person
- Carry out specific delegated clinical and care tasks and responsibilities to a high standard and competency, under the direction and supervision of a Registered Nurse or other registered care professional
- Where appropriate work without direct supervision, delivering care independently in line with the individual’s defined plan of care, within designated parameters of practice of the Nurse Associate role, accessing clinical and care advice when needed
- Continue to develop and improve practical and theoretical knowledge, competence and skills whilst in clinical practice and maintain all evidence required
- Contribute towards developing a culture of learning and innovation, developing high quality learning environments
- ECG’s (training will be provided)
- visit patients in their own home independently
- work within A&E with an Advanced Nurse Practitioner to case find frailty patients and support early discharge
The following is an indicative list as tasks and responsibilities will vary on the care setting.
- Under indirect supervision and working in partnership with a Registered Nurse provide and deliver a high standard of nursing care
- Maintain understanding of all elements of the nursing process and be able to assist the registered nurse in the on-going assessment, planning, management, and evaluation of care
- Support people with all aspects of individualised care including daily living, providing person-centred care and promoting health and independence through awareness raising and care navigation to other professionals as appropriate
- Provide care that recognises the individual needs of patients, ensuring reasonable adjustments are in place for patients with protected characteristics
- Manage and monitor the condition and health needs of patients within their care following administration of medicines
- Recognise and report any situations, behaviours or errors that could result in poor care outcomes related to medicines management
- Perform and record clinical observations including blood pressure, temperature, respirations, pulse, and any additional requirements within the speciality
- Undertake clinical tasks including cannulation, venepuncture, venesection, ECGs as appropriate to competence and setting
- Accurately record nutritional and fluid intake
- Ensure the privacy, dignity and safety of people is maintained at all times
- Act in accordance with all organisational policies and procedures and within expected values and behaviours
- Actively participate in and attend ward/unit meetings
- Demonstrate the ability to recognise changing priorities seeking advice and guidance from the Registered Nurse or other registered care professionals as appropriate
- Report back and share information with the registered nurses on the condition, behaviour, activity and responses of people
- Recognise issues relating to safeguarding vulnerable children and adults and report any problems or raise concerns to the appropriate registered care professionals
- Assist in the assessment of and contribute to the management of risk across several areas within the environment where care is being delivered
- Assist in the implementation of appropriate action to meet the specific physical, emotional and psychological, social, cultural and spiritual needs of individuals and carers
- Assist in the delivery of complex care as prescribed by the registered nurse
- Maintain an understanding of caring for individuals with particular conditions, for example dementia, mental illness, learning disabilities
- Maintain skills in relation to coaching/teaching individuals/carers/other staff
- Assist with the implementation and monitoring of clinical standards and outcomes
- Develop a working knowledge of other providers’ resources and referral systems to ensure individual’s needs are met, within parameters of practice
- Engage in reflective practice including management of self and reflection on own reactions, asking questions and reflecting on answers given
- Demonstrate good understanding of principles of consent and ensure valid consent is obtained prior to undertaking nursing and care procedures
- Demonstrate good understanding of the Mental Capacity Act/Deprivation of Liberties and applies principles to everyday practice seeking advice/guidance from the registered nurse or registered care professional as required
- Communicate effectively across a wide range of channels and with a wide range of individuals, the public, health and social care professionals, maintaining the focus of communication on delivering and improving health and care services
- Demonstrate those inter-personal skills that promote clarity, compassion, empathy, respect and trust
- Contribute to team success and challenge others constructively
- Communicate with individuals, carers and other visitors in a courteous and helpful manner, whilst being mindful there may be barriers to understanding
- Report to appropriate registered care professional information received from the individuals, carers and members of the team
- Ensure all patient related information is treated sensitively and adhere to the principles of confidentiality at all times
- Report any accidents or incidents and raise any concerns as per organisational policy
- Ensure clear, concise, accurate and legible records and all communication is maintained in relation to care delivered adhering to local and national guidance
- Ensure ability to manage electronic records system taking cognisance of need to protect access (ID, passwords, swipe cards)
- Exercise personal responsibility and work independently within defined parameters of practice, taking the initiative in a variety of situations and performing a range of clinical and care skills consistent with the role, responsibilities and professional values of being an Nurse Associate
- Exercise judgement in assessing patient condition, comfort and wellbeing using analysis of a range of possible factors
- Ensure that only those activities for which competence has been achieved are undertaken without supervision and the recognition is given to the impact and consequences of practising outside capability
- Develop skills to maintain professional standards of record keeping
- Follow all information governance guidance and policies
- Maintain confidentiality as outlined within data protection policies
- Comply with mandatory competencies in line with Trust policy
- To actively engage in area specific competency assessments
- Contribute to formulation and maintenance of own objectives and personal development plan
- Support, supervise, teach (where appropriate) and act as a role model to trainee nursing associates, student nurses, healthcare support workers and new staff members, promoting reflection and providing constructive feedback
- Contribute to the maintenance of the learning environment
- Adopt a reflective approach to own practice and with a view to continually improve
- Undertake further training as required, prior to carrying our any additional duties identified as relevant to role, to comply with Trust policies and procedures
- Identify relevant sources of evidence to inform practice
- Critically consider and analyse own practice in light of best available evidence
- Contribute to surveys, audits and research activity as required to own role, supporting recommended changes in practice
- Promote health and safety maintaining best practice in health, safety and security
- Share ideas with colleagues to improve care and suggest areas for innovation
- Adhere to legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines both local and national
- Regularly attend workplace and staff engagement meetings and contribute positively to discussions about the improvement of care
