Senior Health Care Assistant – Proton Beam Therapy Centre Manchester, England
Job description
We are seeking to recruit a full time Band 3 Senior Healthcare Assistant (HCA) for the Proton Beam Therapy (PBT) Centre at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust.
The Senior HCA role will involve a varied range of daily duties, working as part of a multidisciplinary team, to facilitate the smooth and efficient running of adult and paediatric clinics in the PBT Centre and rotating into the paediatric Day Unit. The successful candidate will have previous experience in a clinical role.
This role will involve working as part of our newly restructured HCA and Clinical Support Worker team, working alongside a small team of Senior HCAs and Clinic Team Leader. The position will involve rotating into the clinic and Day Unit areas in the PBT Centre.
Whilst working in the clinic area, the successful candidate will be responsible for the co-ordination of fast-flowing adult and paediatric patient clinics, ensuring all patients are seen in a timely manner and by the relevant Health Care Professionals and Allied Healthcare Professionals. Room and equipment cleaning and preparation, stock checks and clerical clinic prep will form part of the daily routine.
The role will also involve a rotation into the PBT Day Unit, supporting our paediatric nursing team in the recovery of our daily General Anaesthetic paediatric patients.
As a newly introduced role within the department, the right candidate will be encouraged to contribute to the ongoing development of the role and team and in turn will be offered excellent support and training.
The successful candidate will have previous experience in a clinical environment, already possess phlebotomy skills and ideally have knowledge in undertaking patient observations and ECG’s.
The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.
The Christie PBT Centre treats adult and paediatric patients from across the UK. The HCA and CSW team are responsible for delivering a high standard of holistic patient care to visiting patients and families. This is an interesting role with a diverse daily routine. With a new team structure there is opportunity for personal development and professional progression within the team, service and Trust, which is supported by all levels of management.
Clinical:
1. Assists with the care of patients by:
Under the delegation of the Registered Nurse, Radiographer or Clinical Support Team Leader undertake care delivery, record the patient interventions carried out utilising the patients nursing records. These records must be countersigned by the Registered Nurse who delegated the duties.
Demonstrate respect for the individual patient, ensuring religious, cultural and social needs are considered at all times and acknowledge their individual rights.
Where required, assist nursing staff if they are conducting procedures or investigations.
Assisting patients in gaining access to, and in the use of, appropriate toilet facilities including catheter care, measuring and recording body waste/fluid balance accurately.
Ensure patient’s nutritional needs are met by assisting in the preparation of patients prior to meals and beverages, giving help and assistance in feeding/drinking as necessary. Record intake on food charts, where in place. Support nutritional monitoring by weighing patients.
Assist, direct and escort patients/visitors where and when appropriate.
Ensuring a clean and safe environment for patients and escalating any concerns.
Handling patient’s personal possessions, ensuring money and valuables are kept securely.
Carrying out of cardio-pulmonary resuscitation if required.
2. Complete all appropriate documentation relevant to care provided and update patient’s named nurse / shift coordinator where required.
3. Assist patients in maintaining their personal hygiene, grooming and dressing needs with specific concern for their religious, cultural and personal preference, ensuring privacy and dignity at all times.
4. Perform and record patient’s vital signs as directed - temperature, blood pressure, respiration and pulse, oxygen saturations, modified early warning scores, height & weight, urine testing (including Midstream Specimen, 24Hr urine collection, etc.) - as per Trust policy, reporting results to the Registered Nurse, Radiographer or Clinical Support Team Leader.
5. Provide a clinical phlebotomy service demonstrating expertise according to Phlebotomy guidelines and ensure that the samples and specimens are forwarded to appropriate laboratory services. Perform venous cannulation. Carry out central venous catheter bloods and central line care as per trust policy. Have a basic understanding of normal and altered blood values and escalate results as appropriate to the Registered Nurse, Radiographer or Clinical Support Team Leader
6. Perform electrocardiograms (ECG) in line with Trust policy and reporting to the Registered Nurse and/or medical staff once completed.
7. Prepare individual patients and the environment to ensure effective movement and/or handling procedures. Assist patients in their mobility requirements; provide assistance to patients moving from stretchers, wheelchairs and toilets. Assist patients to improve and maximise their mobility, utilising equipment as directed by the multi professional team.
8. At the delegation of the Registered Nurse, Radiographer or Clinical Support Team Leader transfer the patient from one care area to another. Chaperone the patient as required ensuring appropriate support.
9. Welcome and orientate patients, visitors and others to the department and ensure that all communications result in effective customer care.
10. Communicate well within the team at all times. Demonstrate a pleasant and approachable manner and help create and promote a good team working relationship, by being fully involved, committed and participative to achieving full potential. Proactively help patients and carers to take an active role in care delivery. Develop personal awareness of others’ perceptions, acknowledging and changing behaviour in response to any constructive feedback.
Clinical Support:
1. Where appropriate, to answer queries promptly and courteously, taking appropriate actions according to the mode of enquiry or the information required. As appropriate, inform or refer enquiries or problems to the relevant qualified staff.
2. Assist the Registered Nurse, Radiographer or Clinical Support Team Leader in the process of undertaking clinical risk assessments e.g. recording height and weight, updating the nurse on any changes to a patient’s condition/ circumstances. Responsibility for undertaking the risk assessments lies with the Registered Nurse, Radiographer or Clinical Support Team Leader
3. Appropriately record and monitor dietary intake of patients, informing relevant staff of progress and/or any difficulties relating to dietary/fluid intake.
4. Assist in providing conditions to meet the patient’s need for rest and sleep.
5. Actively support and assist in alleviating distress and anxiety of patients or carers, consistent with their personal beliefs and preferences.
6. Prepare trolleys for specific clinical procedures in line with trust policy utilising asceptic non touch technique practices.
7. Recognise and report abusive behaviour to an appropriate member of staff, documenting the same.
Environmental Support:
1. Be responsible for self and others through identifying risks and undertaking work activities in a safe manner.
2. Maintain cleanliness in the work environment, ensuring a clean and safe environment for patients, adhering to infection control policies and guidance in line with Trust health and safety policies.
3. Prepare and maintain environments for clinical procedures.
4. Contribute to the general tidiness and cleanliness of the clinical environment including the correct disposal of waste.
5. Assist with the checking of clinic/department stock, where required. Contribute to the supply and maintenance of materials and equipment to ensure the efficient running of the clinical environment.
6. Assist with the checking and recording of deliveries to the clinical areas against original orders. Ensure stock rotation is undertaken to minimise the risk of equipment becoming out of date.
7. Assist in the transfer of materials and equipment as requested, including the maintenance of equipment as appropriate.
8. Report faults on the clinic/unit/department as necessary.
9. Reports all accidents and complaints according to the agreed policy to shift coordinator or senior staff.
10. Contributes to the continuous improvement of services. May be required to demonstrate and assist more junior staff to gain clinical experience, skills and knowledge.
11. Undertake all training required to perform duties effectively to the requirements of the post, including but not limited to attending all required mandatory training courses.
12. Maintain own professional portfolio in accordance with personal development plans.
13. Demonstrates the agreed set of values and accountable for own attitude and behaviour.
Administration:
1. Assist in preparing patients notes, relevant charts, nursing documentation, etc. and ensure that patient notes are available within the clinic/department and secure at all times.
2. Undertake clerical duties as directed by the Registered Nurse, Radiographer or Clinical Support Team Leader in relation to all verbal and written communications, ensuring messages and communications are passed to other team members, storage of patient information and retrieval of such information.
These duties and responsibilities are neither exclusive nor exhaustive and staff may be required to undertake other duties and responsibilities consistent with the band
