Respiratory Sister (Virtual Ward)

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust; Torquay; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Job summary

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust is seeking a Respiratory Virtual Ward professional to join the team, delivering care across hospital, patient homes and outpatient settings. The role focuses on early discharge, outpatient pathways, and daily pleural intervention planning within a safety-first framework.

You will work closely with the Senior Respiratory Nursing/Medical Team and Respiratory Consultants to deliver patient-centred care, using technology to track progress and liaise with

Responsibilities

• Work in hospital, patient homes, and outpatients autonomously and independently.
• Discuss referrals with GPs, hospital doctors, respiratory consultants and patients to determine referral appropriateness.
• Communicate with patients and families, respiratory consultants, GPs and community teams to ensure admission and discharge documentation is completed promptly.
• Confidently use technology and apps to monitor patients' condition and progress.
• Provide counselling and education to respiratory patients, supporting those with serious diagnoses.
• Assess unwell patients in the Emergency Department of Torbay Hospital with a view to supporting discharge home when appropriate.
• Demonstrate professionalism and integrity, acting as a role model and promoting equality of opportunity.
• Tailor services to individual patient needs and remain adaptable to changing circumstances.

Job description

This is an exciting opportunity to join the Torbay Respiratory Team as we develop and launch an expanded virtual ward, building on the work nationally and locally of the COVID-19 virtual wards and experience within our existing respiratory teams.

So, what is a virtual ward?

A virtual ward allows patients to stay in their own home including their residential / nursing home and receive their acute care that previously they would receive in an acute hospital bed. It is a safe and efficient alternative to bedded care.

Our goal is to have an early supported discharge for patients with respiratory infections which include COVID 19, a robust pleural effusion and pneumothorax management pathway with options for an entirely outpatient management pathway and daily pleural intervention lists, we are creating an admission-prevention team who care for people as an alternative route to hospital admission.

This unique role will enable you to work both within the community and hospital setting, in a safe pathway approach to care, fully supported by the Senior Respiratory Nursing/Medical Team and Respiratory Consultant

• To work in a variety of settings, including hospital, patients' homes, and outpatients autonomously and independently
• To participate and discuss referrals with GP's, hospital Doctors, Respiratory consultants and patients to decide the appropriateness of the referral
• Communicate and liaise with patients and their families, respiratory consultants, GP's ward nurses, community Matrons and community nurses and ensure necessary admission and discharge documentation is completed in a timely manner
• To be Confident in using technology including 'Apps' to monitor patient's condition and progress
• Ensure Respiratory patients receive effective counselling/education. The progressive nature of their disease may involve supporting patients who receive bad news of a diagnosis and prognosis
• Accurately assess unwell patients who are in the Emergency Department of Torbay Hospital with the view of supporting their discharge before they are admitted to an acute medical ward
• To act with professionalism and integrity, being a role model to those around us and ensuring everyone has an equal opportunity
• To provide a service that is tailored to meet the needs of the individual and to understand what our patients/customers need and be adaptable and responsive

Why work with us?

This unique role will enable you to work both within the community and hospital setting, in a safe pathway approach to care, fully supported by the Senior Respiratory Nursing/Medical Team and Respiratory Consultant

For further details / informal visits contact: Name: Kelly Caunter Job title: Lead Nurse, Respiratory virtual ward Email address: [e-mail] Telephone number: 01803 655147