Charge Nurse - Critical Care/High Dependency Unit

NHS Scotland; Paisley; On-site; GBP 43,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

NHS Pension Scheme (life insurance)

Cycle to Work Scheme

Study bursaries and e-learning

Job summary

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde is seeking an experienced Charge Nurse to join the Critical Care team at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. You will lead the delivery of safe, effective and compassionate care for critically ill patients while providing operational leadership to the nursing team.

You will work in a fast-paced, highly specialised environment, coordinating patient care, supporting staff development and driving high clinical standards. A live NMC pin is essential for consideration.

Qualifications

• Registered nurse with current NMC registration and eligible to work in the UK.
• Significant experience in a Critical Care nursing environment.
• Post-registration qualification or study relevant to Critical Care practice.
• Demonstrated leadership to motivate and develop others.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills within multidisciplinary teams.
• Ability to make informed clinical decisions and manage workload under pressure.
• Commitment to continuous professional development and delivering high-quality patient care.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate safe and effective management of the Critical Care unit on duty.
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate care for critically ill patients.
• Lead, supervise, and support nursing staff to deliver high-quality care.
• Participate in ward rounds, handovers, and multidisciplinary discussions.
• Respond to clinical emergencies and incidents while ensuring patient safety.
• Support efficient use of staffing, equipment, and supplies.
• Provide education, mentorship, and professional support to nurses and students.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Clinical decision-making

Teamwork

Prioritisation

CPD

Education

Registered Nurse with current NMC registration

Post-registration qualification in Critical Care

Job description

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) is one of the largest healthcare systems in the United Kingdom, employing approximately 40,000 staff across a wide range of clinical and non-clinical professions and roles. We deliver acute hospital, primary, community and mental health services to a population of over 1.15 million people, and to a wider population of 2.2 million when regional and national services are included.

The Role

You need to have a live NMC UK pin in order to be considered for this post.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and motivated Charge Nurse to join the Critical Care team within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. This rewarding role will see you leading the delivery of safe, effective and compassionate care for critically ill patients while providing operational leadership and support to the wider nursing team. Working in a fast-paced and highly specialised environment, you will play a key role in coordinating patient care, supporting staff development and driving high clinical standards. NHSGGC offers the opportunity to be part of one of Scotland's largest and most innovative healthcare organisations, where your expertise, leadership and commitment to improving patient outcomes will be recognised and valued.

All roles will be assessed for sponsorship eligibility in line with current Home Office requirements. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) can only issue a Certificate of Sponsorship (CoS) where these are met.

Duration, Location, and Working Pattern

• Full-time, Permanent
• You will be based at The Royal Alexandra Hospital
• Working Pattern: Rotational day/night

Key Responsibilities

• Coordinate the safe and effective management of the Critical Care unit whilst on duty
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate care for critically ill patients using specialist knowledge and skills
• Lead, supervise and support nursing staff to deliver high quality patient-centred care
• Participate in ward rounds, clinical handovers and multidisciplinary discussions to support treatment planning
• Respond to clinical emergencies, adverse incidents and changing patient needs while maintaining patient safety
• Support the efficient use of staffing, equipment, supplies and other resources
• Provide education, mentorship and professional support to nurses, students and other members of the healthcare team

Knowledge, training, qualifications and/or experience required

• Registered Nurse with current NMC registration
• Relevant and significant experience working within a Critical Care nursing environment
• Post-registration qualification or further study relevant to Critical Care practice
• Demonstrable leadership skills with the ability to motivate, support and develop others
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary teams
• Ability to make informed clinical decisions, prioritise workload and remain calm under pressure
• Commitment to continuous professional development, quality improvement and delivering outstanding patient care

What We Offer

We offer a wide range of supportive policies designed to enhance your employee journey, including a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme, Cycle to Work Scheme, bursary scheme and extensive learning and development opportunities.

As an NHS Scotland employee, you will be entitled to:

• A minimum of 27 days annual leave, increasing with length of service, plus public holidays
• Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme, including life insurance benefits
• Salary Sacrifice Car Benefit Scheme
• Development opportunities including study bursaries, e-learning and classroom-based courses
• Enhanced pay for working public holidays
• NHS discounts on a wide range of goods and services
• Confidential employee support and assistance, including counselling and psychological therapies

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde recognises the importance of work-life balance and is committed to offering a range of flexible working options where service needs allow. For roles where less than full-time hours can be accommodated, and where the tenure is listed as various, we encourage applications from individuals seeking flexible working arrangements. Flexible working will be included as a topic for discussion during the recruitment process.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde encourages applications from all sections of the community. We are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and are proud of the diverse workforce we employ.

By signing the Armed Forces Covenant, NHSGGC has pledged its commitment to being a Forces Friendly Employer. We welcome applications from across the Armed Forces Community and recognise military skills, experience and qualifications throughout the recruitment and selection process.