Lead Nutrition Nurse Specialist

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; Knowsley; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A healthcare provider in the UK seeks a Lead Nutrition Nurse Specialist to join the Gastroenterology department. Responsibilities include providing expert clinical nutrition support, leading service improvements, and managing a caseload of patients. The role requires advanced clinical practice and mentoring of junior staff. Candidates must be a Registered Nurse and have expertise in Nutrition, with a focus on patient-centered care. This position is an excellent opportunity to contribute to a forward-thinking NHS Trust.

Benefits

Professional development opportunities

Commitment to equality and diversity

Supportive work environment

Responsibilities

• Provide expert clinical support in Nutrition for patients.
• Lead service improvement initiatives within the department.
• Act autonomously and manage own caseload of patients.
• Mentor and supervise junior staff in clinical practices.

Skills

Advanced clinical practice

Patient assessment

Medication prescribing

Multidisciplinary teamwork

Clinical supervision

Education

Registered Nurse status

Postgraduate qualifications in Nutrition

Job description

Responsibilities

• The Lead Nutrition Nurse Specialist will be an integral part of the clinical management team supporting the Gastroenterology department during the work week.
• The Lead Nutrition Nurse Specialist will demonstrate advanced autonomous clinical practice working across traditional boundaries and augmenting the medical role, utilising assessment, decision making and diagnostic skills.
• By independently ordering and interpreting investigations, the Lead Nutrition Nurse Specialist demonstrates the ability to safely manage his/her own caseload, identifying the need to involve other members of the MDT, ensuring high quality, effective management of patients.
• The Lead Nutrition Nurse Specialist will take the lead, participate in educational sessions; clinical supervision; research, audit as well as quality and service improvement, ensuring high quality, effective management of patients.
• The post holder will abide by legal requirements and statutory rules relating to their practice maintaining standards of professional practice in accordance with the NMC guidelines, providing advanced levels of clinical practice, knowledge and skills in Nutrition. The primary focus will be Nutrition patients.
• Undertake history and physical examination to accurately assess the patient's condition.
• Requests interpret and act upon relevant diagnostic tests and procedures.
• Interpret, convey and act upon complex and conflicting information to MDT members/patients/relatives including in possible stressful situations, which may be delicate or offensive in nature (i.e. breaking bad news).
• Act as a clinical expert providing continuous support to the nursing staff and other MDT members within and outside designated area of work.
• Undertake advanced (invasive and non-invasive) procedures pertaining to patient need, in accordance with appropriate training and clinical supervision.
• Prescribe medication in accordance with current legislation and trust policy. Specifically, to prescribe parenteral nutrition and medications for short bowel syndrome.
• Perform clinic review of nutrition patients, providing support for consultants.
• Lead on service improvement.
• Develop self-supported remote follow up clinic and provide support for nursing staff that run this service.
• Provide unsupervised support for acute medical admissions unit and emergency department including clinical review of day ward attenders.
• Maintain comprehensive, contemporaneous and accurate nursing/medical records and documentation, utilising information technology where available to facilitate caseload management.
• Effectively manage acute life‑threatening conditions in accordance with current ALS/ATLS/ALERT guidelines (as appropriate at area of work/need).
• Act as a role model through demonstration of high standards of practice, providing a clinical environment that motivates and encourages effective working partnerships.
• Participate in multidisciplinary ward rounds/board rounds, case conferences, clinical and audit meetings.
• Gain informed consent from patients for procedures undertaken by self or on behalf of others, both written and verbal, according to Trust policy.
• Provide evidence‑based specialist knowledge and advice to patients, families/carers throughout the patient's journey to meet their physical, emotional and psychological needs.
• Provide clinical expertise in the management of patients utilising specialist theoretical and clinical skills.
• Facilitate and support unit co‑ordinators/ward managers to develop effective working relationships with the multi‑disciplinary team to enhance the care and management of patients.
• Act as an autonomous practitioner exercising judgement, discretion and decision making in clinical care.
• Undertake nurse prescribing as part of designated role and provide autonomous practitioners.
• To support junior medical staff, sharing clinical workload and allowing junior doctors to achieve training and development requirements.

Leadership and Development

• Ensuring that the patient experience remains the focal point for service improvement within the Directorate.
• Provide clinical support to complaints and SIRI/SUI investigations.
• Support senior staff and clinical teams in maximising flow of patients through units to meet elective and emergency demand, utilising leadership and expert clinical skills.
• To contribute effectively to service developments both within the directorate and at strategic level.
• Attend Gastroenterology Governance and Business Meetings.
• To act as a role model by demonstrating excellent communication and listening skills with patients, relatives and staff.
• Active involvement in Senior Nursing Forum.
• Promote effective team working within nursing and medical staff on Gastroenterology wards.
• Provide support for senior nursing staff in relation to staff development and complaints.
• Participate in the recruitment and selection of staff.
• Lead/guide nursing and medical staff in the appropriate and timely care of the patient.
• Network locally, regionally and nationally to share and exchange ideas and principles.
• Provide an effective leadership role in contributing to own departmental issue pertaining to clinical governance agendas and shared governance within the Trust e.g. maintaining standards, risk management, clinical audit and research, standard setting, benchmarking, evidence‑based practice, etc.
• To provide leadership to nursing staff and junior doctors regarding training and development ensuring the delivery of consistent high‑quality care.
• To support Trust Management Teams with ongoing clinical care provision and assist with safe, effective flow through the Trust.
• Adherence to Clinical Nurse Specialist competency framework.
• Attend mentor meetings with respective Consultants.
• Take responsibility for one's own professional development and continually assess and acknowledge areas for development as they arise.
• Raise awareness of specialty conditions within area of practice by teaching and providing education across Gastroenterology, including specialist nutrition reviews.
• Support in the facilitation of an appropriate learning/practice environment for nursing, medical and Physician Associate students and new starters providing direct supervision and training.
• Assist in identified training and educational needs of the nursing staff/medical staff and participate in its delivery.
• Provide clinical supervision, mentorship, preceptorship and tuition to nursing and medical staff within the Medical Care Group.

Clinical Governance

• Develop good working relationships with medical and nursing staff and other members of the multidisciplinary team within and other departments within the Trust and external.
• Act in accordance with the NMC guidelines/Code of Professional Conduct.
• Attend Trust wide audit.
• Lead the reporting of clinical incidents/concerns and take appropriate action to address any safety and quality issues raised.
• Develop and implement policies and strategies in line with evidence‑based practice e.g. NICE/DoH.
• Be involved in identification, development and implementation of relevant policy/guidelines to aid future management by the MDT (e.g. Ambulatory Care pathways).
• Facilitate and identify clinical audit/research and disseminate findings.
• Support, initiate and promote evidence‑based practice, contribute to the development, monitoring and evaluation of clinical guidelines, standards and protocols and adhere to professional regulation.
• Participation in the critical review of complaints, compliments and significant event analysis with a view to the continual improvement of patient care, ensuring lessons learnt and changes to clinical practice from RCA's Trust Wide are communicated throughout the directorate and division and acted upon.
• Identify the need and undertake research and clinical audit in order to inform practice and improve the effectiveness of patient care.
• Promote patient and public involvement in the development of services to improve patient care.
• Know about the Trust's local policies/procedures.
• Understand the importance of sharing information, how it can help and the dangers of not sharing information.
• Be responsible for ensuring that there is adherence to child protection and safeguarding vulnerable adult protocols within clinical practice.
• Be able to seek advice and report concerns, ensuring that they are listened to.

Equality, Diversity and Inclusion

We actively cultivate a professional environment of fairness, equality, dignity, and respect for all individuals. We welcome individuals from all backgrounds and value the unique skills, perspectives and experience you bring. We are grounded in the belief that diversity enhances our collective strength, fostering innovation and excellence within our workforce. We welcome all applications irrespective of people's race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, religion/belief, age, gender identity, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy/maternity and in particular those from under‑represented groups.

As a Disability Confident Leader, we commit to offering an interview to all disabled applicants who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

We also commit to offering an interview to all armed forces veterans who meet the minimum criteria for the job (the essential criteria) listed in the personal specification. If you wish to apply under this Guaranteed Interview Scheme, please indicate this on the online application form.

The Trust operates anonymous shortlisting where no personal information about you, including your name or personal details, is shared with the recruiting manager. No equality information is shared at any time during the recruitment process with the recruiting manager or other people involved in the decision‑making process.

Application Process

Thank you for considering an application to work for Mersey West Lancashire NHS Trust. MWL is an exciting and forward‑thinking NHS Trust who are one of the best places to work for in England.

Given sometimes we receive a high volume of applications to work for us, please be aware that we may close a vacancy earlier than stated should a sufficient number of applications be received from which a shortlist can be confirmed. Therefore, you are advised to apply at your earliest convenience.