Palliative Care Nurse - Inpatient & Bereavement Support

Southern Hospice Group; Hove; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

Southern Hospice Group in Hove, West Sussex, is seeking a dedicated registered nurse to provide high-quality palliative care to inpatients. You will work within a multidisciplinary team, ensure safe medication administration, and lead clinical care with evidence-based practice.

The role includes rotating long day and night shifts to provide 24/7 inpatient unit coverage. There is a permanent contract, full-time hours, and opportunities for professional development.

Qualifications

• A good standard of general education to GCSE level.
• RGN or RN Adult Branch registration.
• Diploma level qualification or willingness to work towards.
• Experience of supporting student nurses on placement.

Responsibilities

• Act as a Key Worker to allocated patients, co-ordinating their care alongside the multi-professional team, from admission to discharge.
• Discussing and establishing patients objectives for coming into the hospice on and throughout the admission and evaluating as appropriate.
• Ensure the safe administration of medications, adhering to NMC and organisational policies and procedures.
• Recognise and report any errors or omissions in the administration of medications.
• Assess the needs of patients and relatives requiring intervention from other professionals/therapies and refer appropriately.
• Base clinical practice on current research-based evidence.
• Act as a clinical lead as appropriate i.e. infection control, wound care or diabetes.
• Verify when a death has occurred, notifying relatives and carers as appropriate.
• Care for the deceased patient by administering last offices and ensuring the safe and timely removal of the body from the hospice.
• Communicate effectively with patients, carers and the bereaved to establish and maintain trusting relationships.
• Establish and maintain effective communication and working relationships with multi-professional teams within the Hospice and in the community.
• As a key worker, to present patients and contribute to discussion at the multi professional team meeting if working day shift.
• Offer a high level of emotional support to patients and/or carers particularly during admission, breaking of bad news and around time of death.
• Contribute to bereavement care offered to families by facilitating bereavement interviews and assessing risk factors for bereavement, referring to the bereavement service as necessary.
• Provide advice on symptom control/care management to other health care professionals out of hours.
• Sensitively handle out of hours enquires from community patients and carers.
• Take responsibility for the efficient running of the Inpatient Unit in the absence of a Team Leader or Ward Sister.
• Attend the admissions meeting as needed on early shifts and contribute to decision making regarding the number of agreed admissions.
• Allocate staff, taking into account skill mix, to ensure continuity of care for the patients and their relatives.
• Ensure the ward is appropriately staffed to agreed staffing levels in the event of unexpected absence, including the booking, or cancelling of bank staff.
• Facilitate, welcome and sensitively handle feedback including concerns and complaints from patients or relatives and act upon or refer to senior nurses as appropriate.
• Be responsible for the ordering (alongside the Pharmacy team), safe storage and use of pharmaceutical supplies and hazardous substances.
• Be the Fire Warden in absence of the Ward Sister.
• Be aware of the security of the building out of office hours, including the checking of doors and windows prior to the setting of alarms as appropriate.
• Contribute to the development of care provision by participating in standard setting and clinical audit in accordance with the Hospice clinical governance framework.
• Contribute to (Health and Safety) risk assessments as appropriate, ensuring identified actions are completed as a result.
• Inform, advise and teach patients, carers and staff on aspects of the patients condition and care required.
• Develop and maintain own knowledge and skills in palliative care.
• Maintain and extend management knowledge and skills.
• Attend all mandatory training identified as requirement of role.
• Actively contribute to both formal and informal, unit based clinical education as appropriate.
• Contribute to the development of nursing assistants, student nurses and junior staff nurses by ensuring delivery of effective induction programmes and continuing development through appraisal and education.
• Act as a mentor for students.
• Teach clinical and non-clinical staff as part of the educational activities of the Hospice.
• Keep and monitor accurate, timely and relevant patient records.
• Contribute to the written assessment of patients during discharge planning to supply relevant services with necessary information.
• Complete a written assessment of bereavement vulnerability.

Skills

Clinical leadership

Medication administration

Communication with patients & families

Palliative care

Education

GCSE level education

RGN or RN Adult Registration

Diploma level qualification or willingness to work towards

Experience supervising student nurses on placement

Job description

Southern Hospice Group in Hove, West Sussex, is seeking a dedicated registered nurse to provide high-quality palliative care to inpatients. You will work within a multidisciplinary team, ensure safe medication administration, and lead clinical care with evidence-based practice.

The role includes rotating long day and night shifts to provide 24/7 inpatient unit coverage. There is a permanent contract, full-time hours, and opportunities for professional development.