Specialist Nurse, Deteriorating Adult Response Team (DART)

NHS; Leicester; On-site; GBP 32,000 - 38,000; Full time

Job summary

A national healthcare organization in Leicester is seeking a Specialist Nurse for their Deteriorating Adult Response Team. The role involves supporting ward staff in caring for critically ill patients. Candidates must be registered nurses with advanced life support training and relevant acute care experience. This position offers the opportunity to be involved across various medical specialties. Excellent communication, leadership, and organizational skills are essential.

Qualifications

• Evidence of expanded roles and consolidation of skills in an acute care setting required.
• Must have experience in supporting learners and assessing their practice.
• Advanced Life Support certification is necessary.

Responsibilities

• Respond quickly to deteriorating patients and commence treatment promptly.
• Work collaboratively with DART Lead and team to deliver high quality clinical service.
• Participate in the development of the DART service.

Skills

Ability to work on own and within a team

Teaching/assessment skills

Organisational skills

Competency in Advanced Life Support (ALS)

Competency in Immediate Life Support (ILS)

Education

1st Level Registered Nurse with NMC

Evidence of professional development in relevant acute/critical care area

Post graduate education relating to Critical and/or Acute care

Job description

Specialist Nurse, Deteriorating Adult Response Team (DART)

The closing date is 05 December 2025

Our Deteriorating Adult Response Team is looking for experienced highly motivated Nurses to join us supporting our ward staff to care for deteriorating patients.

The team provides a 24 hour service across 4 Sites - Leicester General, Leicester Royal Infirmary, Glenfield Hospital and the Emergency Department. You will have the opportunity to be involved in caring for patients from all medical and surgical specialties within the Trust. You will need to have excellent facilitation skills, and the ability to reconcile conflicting views and interests.

You must be able to influence and engage others through effective communication and challenge current thinking and practice to encourage innovation and improvement. You must have the ability to work independently and under your own initiative with limited direct supervision.

The fixed term position is for a period of 12 months and we do not require the successful candidate to have post degree modules.

Main duties of the job

The successful candidates will be instrumental in delivering Trust-wide support to assist in the early detection and management of the acutely ill deteriorating patient.

They will also facilitate the smooth transition of patients stepping down from our Critical Care Unit (Level 2/3 care); and provide education around these subjects across the MDT. The post holder will work closely with the other DART nurses & critical care staff and will need to possess and display good leadership and organisational skills.

A recent Quality Improvement initiative has seen service expansion of DART into Adult ED. Within ED DART are involved in the recognition and implementation of treatment for patients presenting with Sepsis. DART provide a supportive role in escalating and recognising deteriorating patients.

Applications are sought from nurses who have the appropriate expertise and knowledge to undertake the role; enabling them to support the quality improvement agenda around the acutely unwell & deteriorating patient and to assist with the delivery of the DART team objectives.

About us

Our new strategy, developed with the support and feedback of colleagues, patients, and partners, is our compass for the next seven years (2023-2030).

We have four primary goals:

• high-quality care for all
• being a great place to work
• partnerships for impact
• andresearch and education excellence

And we will embed health equality in all we do - taking active steps to reduce the avoidable differences in healthcare that some people face, working in partnership with communities.

Our strategy is underpinned by new values and we will work to ensure they are an everyday reality for all:

• we are compassionate
• we are proud
• we are inclusive
• and we are one team

This is an exciting moment as we look to the future with clarity on what we already do well and where we need to focus our energies to make an even bigger difference for the people we serve.

Job responsibilities

To respond quickly and effectively to deteriorating patients on the ward and work with other health care professionals to commence treatment within a timely manner.

To work alongside the DART Lead practitioner / Matron and the team of DART Sister/ Charge Nurse/Band 7 Health care practitioner to assist in the delivery of a high quality service of clinical expertise.

To act as a role model for on-going development of clinical practice, research and standards within the defined area of practice.

To participate in the organisation, delivery and over all development of the DART service as required.

To work collaboratively with other professionals from critical care, wards and within the Emergency Department.

Please refer to the job description/person specification for full details on the role.

Person Specification

Training & Qualifications

• 1st Level Registered Nurse with NMC
• Evidence of professional development in relevant acute/critical care area
• Evidence of post graduate module at 15 credits or Completion of Enhanced Critical Care Outreach Competencies
• Completion of Practice Assessor preparation day and have recent experience in supporting learners in your workplace and supervising their progress and assessing their practice. Or evidence of actively teaching and mentoring in practice.
• Advanced Life Support
• Evidence of specialist training or willingness to undertake
• Post graduate education relating to Critical and/or Acute care First level Degree or working towards

Skills

• Evidence of expanded roles
• Ability to work on own and within an team.
• Understands ward based issues.
• Competency in ILS.
• Teaching /assessment skills.
• Potential to lead
• Organisational skills
• Competency in ALS

Experience

• Evidence of consolidation and extended skills post registration experience in a relevant acute care setting within the last 12 months.
• Knowledge of developments in acute care.
• Knowledge of audit and Research
• Evidence of Teaching

Communication and relationship skills

• Enthusiastic and motivated.
• Assertive and confident
• Demonstrates ability to work within the MDT and motivate self (i.e. Extended roles)
• Recognises own limitations.
• Demonstrates commitment to develop self and others
• Able to communicate at all levels.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

University Hospitals of Leicester NHS Trust