Ward Sister/Charge Nurse

Great Ormond Street Hospital; Greater London; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

Great Ormond Street Hospital is seeking a Ward Manager for the Paediatric Surgical Short Stay Unit (Squirrel SNAPS). The role leads a skilled team to deliver world-class paediatric care, supports service delivery and drives innovation within the SNAPS service and hospital-wide.

You will work with band 7 colleagues to ensure high-quality care, supervise staff, mentor learners, and oversee documentation and governance in line with NMC, CQC and Trust standards.

Qualifications

• NMC registration is required and ongoing professional development is expected.
• Experience leading a ward or department in paediatric care is essential.
• Proven track record in teaching, training and preceptorship within a clinical setting.

Responsibilities

• Provide highest standard of nursing care for children and families.
• Be a visible, knowledgeable practitioner delivering evidence-based care.
• Plan, assess, implement and evaluate care programmes for individual children and supervise staff.
• Lead and manage ward operations, ensuring safety and staffing complies with NHS policy.

Skills

Paediatric clinical skills

Compassion in practice

Leadership and management

Organisational skills

Verbal communication

Written communication

Teaching and mentorship

Team motivation

Problem solving

Change management

Clinical supervision

Time management

Delegation

Financial management

IV drugs administration

Education

NMC registration in the relevant branch

Job description

Job overview

Ward Manager required for our Paediatric Surgical Short Stay Unit (Squirrel SNAPS)

Great Ormond Street Hospital is one of the top five leading children’s hospitals in the world.

Our highly-motivated and talented team of doctors, advanced clinical practitioners, and nurses, together with the wider MDT, are passionate about achieving our shared aim of delivering world-class care, putting the child and families first at all times.

We are committed to the ongoing training and education of our nursing staff, involving our nurses in developing evidence-based care and innovative practice. Our Ward Managers are clinical experts, providing clinical and managerial leadership to the wider nursing team.

You will be joining an experienced team and work closely with your band 7 colleagues including Chameleon Ward Manager, and the Matron, to help provide high quality care, assist with service delivery and innovation within the SNAPS service, as well as contributing across the wider hospital.

Main duties of the job

• To provide the highest standard of nursing care for children, young people and their families always.
• To be a highly competent, knowledgeable and visible practitioner within the specialty ensuring the provision of excellent, evidence-based nursing care for the children, young people and their families at all times
• To plan, assess, implement and evaluate programmes of care for individual children and to supervise other staff in this activity
• To supervise and support members of the ward team as required, ensuring that all patients receive appropriate care
• To be responsible for the leadership and operational management of the department informing the Matron / Head of Nursing of anything that threatens to affect the safety of the environment or to compromise the care of the patients, comply with the safe staffing strategy for both the NHS and Trust
• To actively assist in the education and practical training of learners and junior staff at every opportunity. To work in co-operation with their university to provide uniformity and promotion of professional standards
• Ensure the provision of a validated supportive and challenging environment for student nurses in training, ensuring that all learners have an allocated mentor.
• To maintain confidentiality always surrounding the child’s or young person’s admission and treatment.
• To ensure that all patient care is documented, and that all relevant documentation is completed accurately and within agreed timescales using Trust approved documentation, in line with NMC, CQC and Trust standards
• To have knowledge of and adhere to ward and Trust policy and professional standards. To ensure that colleagues do likewise
• To participate in probation periods, staff appraisal, staff development and in service training activities in line with Trust appraisal review process

Working for our organisation

We are committed to recruiting the best person for the job through a fair, open and consistent process that is free from bias and discrimination.

We are working towards becoming an anti-racist organisation. This means creating a workplace where every colleague feels seen, heard and valued, and where racism in any form has no place. Our anti-racism commitment is backed by action through our Anti-Racism Statement and action plan, developed in collaboration with our REACH staff network.

We actively challenge discrimination, dismantle barriers and embed equity across all aspects of our workforce, including recruitment, progression and development. All applicants will receive equal consideration regardless of race, ethnicity, nationality, religion or belief, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, health condition or employment history.

We particularly welcome applications from ethnically diverse communities, people with disabilities or long-term health conditions, and LGBTQ+ community members. We are proud to be a Disability Confident Employer, a member of the Business Disability Forum, and a Stonewall Diversity Champion.

Our staff networks, including REACH, PRIDE, ENABLED and Women’s Networks, are active and executive supported. These employee-led networks play a vital role in shaping an inclusive culture at GOSH and are open to all colleagues.

Together, we are building a culture where inclusion is not optional - it is essential.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

The full job description provides an overview of the key tasks and responsibilities of the role, and the person specification outlines the qualifications, skills, experience, and knowledge required. For both documents please view the attachment/s below.

Person specification

Skills/Abilities

Essential criteria

• Excellent paediatric clinical skills
• Demonstrates Compassion in practice
• Relevant specialist skills and abilities for the department HDU/ITU/theatres
• Excellent managerial, leadership and organisational skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Excellent teaching, training, and preceptorship
• Able to motivate and develop a team of staff
• Able to problem solve and initiate change
• Able to work across professional team and organisational boundaries
• Able to develop staff through mentoring / coaching /clinical supervision
• Excellent time management skills with the ability to prioritise own workload and that of others
• Interviewing skills and appraisal skills
• Ability to delegate and prioritise
• Financial management skills
• Administration of IV drugs

Desirable criteria

• Phlebotomy and cannulation skills

GOSH Culture and Values

Essential criteria

• GOSH values

Experience/Knowledge

Essential criteria

• Demonstrable experience of taking charge of a department and deputising for the ward/ department ward sister/charge nurse
• Experience of taking charge of a department
• Experience of leading and managing a team of nurses
• Previous experience of research and audit
• Experience of change management and problem solving
• Experience of handling clinical incidents and complaints
• Handling safeguarding issues according to Trust policies and procedures
• Thorough specialty knowledge relevant to the department
• Understanding of professional and current issues in children’s nursing.
• Understanding of audit and research methodologies
• Understanding of resource management, health and safety, clinical risk, and quality issues
• Ability to work as part of a Multidisciplinary team
• Handling clinical incidents and complaints
• Awareness of equity and diversity
• Knowledge of GOSH nurse strategy
• Knowledge of national health agenda

Desirable criteria

• Knowledge of national health agenda

Academic/Professional qualification/Training

Essential criteria

• NMC registration in the relevant branch
• Leadership or management training
• Evidence of on-going dynamic continuing professional development within the specialty linked to demonstrable clinical competencies

Desirable criteria

• Relevant First Degree in health care related subject