Bank Chemotherapy Nurse - October

The Methodist Church in Britain; Colchester; On-site; GBP 28,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

The Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a bank nurse to support the chemotherapy service. The role focuses on the safe delivery of anticancer treatment, patient assessment, consent, counselling and education, and recognizing treatment toxicities against protocol.

Responsibilities include telephone triage, MDT collaboration, and liaison with supportive services. Applicants must have SACT training and passport, prior field experience, and an unrestricted right to work in the UK;

Qualifications

• SACT training and SACT passport accredited qualifications.
• First level NMC registration.
• Previous experience in the chemotherapy nursing field.
• Unrestricted right to work in the UK.

Responsibilities

• Inform and educate patients on prescribed chemotherapy and its side effects.
• Counsel, support and educate patients and carers across the cancer journey.
• Confirm patient consent to treatment and reconfirm agreement.
• Assess patients and record chemotherapy-induced toxicities using common toxicity criteria.
• Decide suitability for treatment under protocol, including blood parameters and performance status.
• Undertake telephone triage for patients and carers so toxicities are treated promptly.
• Refer patients to support services such as palliative care, dietetics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and oncology counselling.
• Document patient attendance in patient notes.
• Work with the MDT to provide good care and symptom management.
• Follow local and national policies and guidelines, and trust clinical practice policies, to minimise cytotoxic drug risk.

Skills

SACT training

SACT passport

NMC registration

Unrestricted right to work (UK)

Tools

Computer skills

Job description

A bank nursing post in the chemotherapy service at Mid and South Essex NHS Foundation Trust, covering the safe delivery of anticancer treatment. The work centres on patient assessment, consent, counselling and education, including recognising and recording treatment toxicities and deciding fitness for treatment against protocol. Telephone triage for patients and carers and liaison with the multidisciplinary team sit alongside this. Candidates need SACT training and passport, prior experience in the field, and unrestricted right to work, as visa sponsorship is not offered for bank roles.

What the job involves

• Inform and educate patients on prescribed chemotherapy and its side effects
• Counsel, support and educate patients and carers across the cancer journey, whether newly diagnosed or on palliative treatment
• Confirm patient consent to treatment and reconfirm agreement
• Assess patients and record chemotherapy-induced toxicities using common toxicity criteria
• Recognise dose modifications required for cytotoxic drug toxicities
• Decide suitability for treatment under protocol, including blood parameters and performance status
• Undertake telephone triage for patients and carers so toxicities are treated promptly
• Refer patients to support services such as palliative care, dietetics, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and oncology counselling
• Rebook patients for treatment and medical review and provide pre-investigation forms
• Document patient attendance in patient notes
• Work with the MDT to provide good care and symptom management
• Follow local and national policies and guidelines, and trust clinical practice policies, to minimise cytotoxic drug risk

Qualifications

• SACT training and completed SACT passport accredited qualifications

Registration & licences

• First level NMC registration

Experience

• Previous experience within the field

Skills & knowledge

• Current knowledge of relevant professional and NHS policy initiatives
• Knowledge of clinical trials and treatment protocols

Checks & eligibility

• Unrestricted right to work in the UK

Nice to have

• Post-registration oncology or haematology qualifications
• Audit knowledge
• Computer skills