Lead Chemotherapy Nurse

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board; Ditton; On-site; GBP 38,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is offering a Clinical Practitioner role within the cancer services team. The post focuses on nurse-led assessment, clinics, and chemotherapy service development, requiring leadership and collaboration with the Nurse Consultant and Acute Oncology Team.

You will provide advanced nursing care to inpatients, day-case and outpatient settings, while supporting families and acting as an advocate for patients’ informed decisions.

Qualifications

• Nurse with haematology/oncology specialization and advanced practice skills.
• Evidence of leadership in nursing care across MDT disciplines.
• Ability to support patients and families with informed consent and treatment options.

Responsibilities

• Provide direct, specialist care and advice to patients within a defined caseload.
• Lead nurse-led clinics and contribute to chemotherapy service development.
• Collaborate with the MDT to audit and improve cancer care pathways.
• Support the Acute Oncology Team and participate in on-call duties as required.

Skills

Haematology/Oncology nursing expertise

Clinical leadership

Patient advocacy

Education

Bachelor of Nursing (RN)

Post-registration Haematology/Oncology qualification

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity for a Clinical Practitioner to take on this specialist nursing role working as a key member in developing our cancer services. The post requires vision, innovation and the ability to work across professional boundaries, underpinned by a real desire to provide the highest standards of patient care. As an experienced haematology/oncology nurse, you will be required to develop your knowledge and skills to undertake nurse-led assessment and nurse-led clinics. You will be part of a committed team of professionals and work closely with the Nurse Consultant - Cancer Services, Head of SACT, Head of Acute Oncology and other Clinical Practitioners within our team. We offer a friendly and supportive work environment, participation in clinical supervision and excellent opportunities for professional development. You will be expected to work flexibly including weekends and Bank Holidays and cover on an on call basis., To provide expert care, advice and support to patients receiving treatment on an inpatient, day case and out-patient basis, and to their families, and act as a resource for other staff. As a clinical leader, the post holder will lead on the implementation of the service objectives. The main emphasis of this role is clinical and includes the development and leadership of a nurse led service including nurse-led clinics and chemotherapy services to provide for the needs of patients and their families. This is an innovative post aimed at developing future cancer leaders. The post holder will include shared working experience between 4 key posts., Clinical Responsibilities The post holder will provide direct, specialised care and advice to patients within a defined case load, using specialist nursing skills and ensuring that care and support to patients and families is sensitive to their needs for courtesy, dignity and privacy. To act as a patients advocate and to give advice regarding treatment options in order that patients are able to give informed consent. To take informed consent from patients and their families. To work in collaboration with all members of the multi-disciplinary team in order to ensure the provision of a quality service for patients and their families. To collaborate with multi-disciplinary team and produce a quality framework for the purpose of auditing and evaluating cancer and chemotherapy services. To support the day case treatment suite clinically and professionally on a daily basis. Providing clinical advice and support to staff and monitoring the patients attending the unit. To participate in nurse led chemotherapy and emergency clinics. To work with the Acute Oncology Team to support inpatients, outpatients and the day case treatment suite clinically and professionally on a daily basis. Providing clinical advice and support to staff and monitoring the patients attending the unit. To participate in the acute oncology nurse rota including weekends and bank holidays. To check and/or administer chemotherapy, as appropriate, according to the relevant Trust policies and procedures including close monitoring of the patient pre/post and during chemotherapy treatment. Perform cannulation, venepuncture, and venesections on patients. Undertake emergency assessment of the unwell patient with cancer e.g. acute neutropenic sepsis providing the appropriate management and supportive therapies. As a Nurse Independent Prescriber prescribe chemotherapy and supportive drugs for patients attending the Aylesford Unit or Rigby Unit. Managerial Responsibilities To evaluate existing services within the unit, identifying gaps in this clinical service and making recommendations on improvements and their implementation in order of priority. In collaboration with Nurse Consultant and other team members regularly review established policies relating to current clinical practice develop new policies as necessary based upon current research findings and ensure effective implementation. To facilitate access to support services for patients, carers and staff. To develop and maintain links with the cancer centre ensuring a seamless passage of care for patients requiring intensive cancer treatment. To provide statistical data regarding caseload and activity. To recommend to the Nurse Consultant ways in which current clinical practice could be improved upon and advice upon likely future developments which will have implications on the existing resources within the department. Maintain awareness of, and ensure that all members of the team comply with, Trust, local and national policies, procedures, and guidelines. Assess existing information systems and advise of potential areas of improvement with the intention of securing and maintaining information on cancer related activity. Management of Resources Ensure effective and efficient use of resources. Use and deploy resources to achieve optimum value for money without detriment to patient care. Assist the Nurse Consultant in identifying resource implications associated with service improvements and changes in clinical practices. Observe a personal duty of care when using equipment and resources. Promote and demonstrate research-based practice, initiate research projects and encourage and support staff who wish to be actively involved in service development. To undertake research and development plus clinical audit in relation to all areas of responsibility. To ensure implementation of national acute oncology measures in Lead Chemotherapy Nurse/ Lead Acute Oncology Nurse role. Governance Ensure Trust Policies and Procedures are implemented and adhered to developing new guidelines as and when necessary. Liaise with other members of the multi-disciplinary team to ensure seamless patient care is provided through the development of protocols and pathways, identifying and initiating these as required. Key Specialist Responsibilities Unit Manager Responsible for the overall management of the Treatment Suite. To establish, develop, maintain, monitor and facilitate the delivery of services within the Aylesford unit, ensuring services provided meet organisational objectives, divisional service strategies and quality accounts. Responsible for the overall development and on-going management of the Aylesford Unit, ensuring that available resources are optimised to achieve strategic changes and improvements in services and operational systems in conjunction with the delivery of evidence-based, patient centered quality care. Responsible for recruitment, retention, performance review and monitoring of staff absence. Responsible for health and safety within the Aylesford Unit /Rigby Unit including clinical incidents, risk assessments and COSHH. Lead Education and Development Nurse To develop teams, individuals and self to enhance performance, ensuring that staff training needs to meet organisational objectives are pursued through the principles of IPR and PDP and knowledge & skills framework, in accordance with Trust policies and procedures. To assess the skills and training needs of staff and, in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team, identify priority areas and develop and maintain educational programmes in order to deliver expert and specialist care for patients and carers. Lead Chemotherapy Nurse Work with the Head of Chemotherapy and lead chemotherapy clinicians in developing a safe, robust clinical chemotherapy service. Lead Acute Oncology Nurse Work with the Head of Acute Oncology and Lead Acute Oncology Clinicians in developing a safe, robust acute oncology service. Operation lead of the acute oncology service. To undertake a specialist role in the management of cancer of unknown primary patients.
As a Registered Nurse, you will possess a high level of up-to-date relevant clinical knowledge and experience with a minimum of 2 years recent relevant experience in haematology/oncology and one year at Band 6. You must have completed your advanced health assessment and non-medical prescribing courses or be willing to work towards . You will have a nursing degree. Additionally you will have post registration qualification in Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy. An accredited communication skills qualification is desirable.

• Registered General Nurse
• Degree in health-related subject or equivalent
• Recognised Teaching /Assessing Qualification
• Post registration chemotherapy qualification
• Advanced Communication Skills
• MSc level qualification of equivalent knowledge, Nurse Independent Prescriber
• Post registration qualification in Haematology/Oncology, Significant experience in haematology/oncology including experience at band 6
• Experience as a team leader
• Evidence of managing and improving the patient experience
• Ability to lead, motivate and support teams
• Evidence of implementing and managing change
• Development and provision of education and training programmes
• Evidence of development of clinical guidelines, Teaching/ assessment skills
• Effective communicator
• Ability to motivate self and others
• Computer literate
• Identifying and providing training needs
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Presentation skills
• Clinical and non-clinical decision making
• Critical analysis skills
• Ability to work to strict deadlines
• Computer skills
• Formal and informal teaching
• Writing for publication skills
• Counselling skills
• Central venous access device management
• PICC placement
• Chemotherapy administration, Ability to work on own initiative
• Prioritising skills able to meet deadlines
• Effective time manager
• Team player
• Problem solver
• Diplomatic
• Assertive and confident
• Personal and professional maturity
• Resilient and able to work in an emotionally demanding environment
• Empathetic and able to support patients and their carers/relatives when communicating sensitive and delicate information, Ability to work both on own initiative and within a team
• Flexibility
• Effective time management skills
• Projects a strong professional image
  Come and join a Trust rated Outstanding by the CQC. South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust have been rated as outstanding following our latest inspection by the CQC and we are recruiting new staff to come and help us improve even further.

We provide services across Warwickshire and beyond ranging from Hospitals in Warwick, Stratford-Upon-Avon, Royal Leamington Spa and Shipston-on Stour to Community Services across the county. We are a progressive, expanding organisation with great ambition around improving quality, integrating pathways and delivering high levels of productivity. Our values can be summed up in one sentence. We are 'Trusted to provide safe, effective and compassionate care'. Throughout the recruitment process you will be asked to think about how you demonstrate these values and how they impact on your work. It doesn't matter what role you do, whether it is patient facing or not, we are all working in the same way with our values at the core.