Ward Sister/Charge Nurse

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust; St Helens; On-site; GBP 33,000 - 43,000; Full time

Job summary

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust is seeking a dynamic Ward Sister/Charge Nurse for Ward 2C at Whiston Hospital. The post holder will support the Ward Manager with leadership, service development and budget control, ensuring high standards of patient care and safe staffing.

The role requires clinical leadership, senior nursing advice and the ability to coordinate complex clinical situations.

Qualifications

• Evidence of ongoing professional development.
• Clinical leadership experience in acute care settings.
• Ability to deputise in Ward Manager's absence.
• Experience leading a team in an acute medical setting.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, management and team development as delegated by the Ward Manager.
• Coordinate patient flow, admissions and discharges to meet national targets where possible.
• Promote the unit and Trust positively to patients and the community.
• Ensure safe staffing levels and effective use of resources.
• Lead and participate in investigations following incidents or complaints.

Skills

Leadership

Clinical leadership

Budget management

Staff development

Education

ENB 998 or equivalent

Job description

The Ward Sister/Charge Nurse is expected to be dynamic and enthusiastic and be able to ensure the highest standards of care are maintained. The Ward Sister/Charge Nurse is also responsible for assisting the Ward Manager with budget control and staff development.,

Key Responsibilities

• Provide leadership, management and team development as delegated by the Department/Ward Manager to the team, allocating workloads.
• Contribute to setting goals and benchmarking standards of care. Develop tools to improve the quality of the service and co-ordinate clinical services across the ward.
• To co-ordinate and manage patient flow within the unit including timely admission and discharge, ensuring national targets are met where possible
• To promote the unit and the Trust as a whole in the most positive manner to patients, relatives and the local population
• To have knowledge of relevant national and local health policies and their impact on the service
• To inform/escalate to Department/Ward Manager / Matron if acceptable levels of care, standards, practice and patient safety is compromised and develop appropriate actions
• To assist and or lead in the development/implementation of local and trust policies and protocols relevant to the specialty, ensuring effective implementation in local area.
• To manage control and quality of levels of stock and equipment within the clinical and non-clinical areas and promote and ensure economic use of all resources.
• To attend corporate groups as a representative of the directorate and team.
• To represent the clinical area on working groups as appropriate and at relevant conferences at regional and national level and on working groups as appropriate.
• To promote and deliver effective communication with all members of the multidisciplinary team and other wards and departments in the Trust and externally.
• To participate in the business planning process, helping to identify areas for service development and improvement.
• In the absence or as delegated by the Department/Ward Manager. Initiate and coordinate investigations of incidents, accidents, complaints involving staff, patients and visitors in accordance with the trust policies and lead in any investigations where required to do so

Clinical Management

• Provide senior nursing advice and support to facilitate high quality, individualised care to patients/ carers in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team.
• Manage and coordinate complex clinical situations, taking appropriate action in emergency or unforeseen situations.
• To be clinically competent and confident in the use of specialised equipment in varied clinical settings.
• Act as a clinical role model and leader for all members of staff providing daily unit management, continuity of care and a high standard of excellent nursing care.
• To assess, plan, implement and evaluate programmes of care, actively seeking evidence based practice which will improve the quality of care and meet the needs of the patient. A holistic approach to caring should be planned which will include the appropriate level of physiological, psychological, spiritual, socio - economic and cultural aspects which influence the care of patients within the unit.
• To contribute to setting and monitor standards of nursing care within the ward.
• To liaise with medical staff and other disciplines on the management of high quality patient care.
• To ensure that patient care is delivered within the Nursing and Midwifery Scope of Professional Practice and Code of Professional Conduct.
• To promote the involvement of patients and their relatives in the management and evaluation of care.
• To have shared responsibility for the delivery of patient care by all members of the nursing team on the unit.
• To maintain safe custody of drugs, ensuring that checking, witnessing and administration procedures are compatible with statutory and trust requirements.
• To undertake appropriate training to expand relevant clinical skills.
• To regularly take charge of the clinical area, utilising resources effectively and to ensure that safe staffing levels are maintained for their shifts.
• Identify clinical risks and ensure that appropriate action is implemented in accordance with the Trust risk management policy.
• Ensure the nurse documentation is maintained to the Trust standard.

People Management

• To assess and develop action plans to meet individual development needs.
• To participate in orientation programmes for all newly appointed nursing staff.
• To monitor staff performance, conduct or participate in Individual Performance Appraisal, including supporting revalidation process.
• To encourage & motivate staff within the ward on personal & professional development at all levels.
• To deploy and utilise staffing resources effectively and efficiently.
• To support members of the team and refer to appropriate services.
• To assist in the selection, appointment & induction of new staff.
• Ensure staffing levels and skill mix is scheduled to reflect the workload and meet the needs of the patient.
• To assist in the co-ordination and monitoring of off duty, annual leave, sickness and absence occurring in the unit.

The new post holder will join our already existing, dedicated, and friendly team of staff on Ward 2C at Whiston Hospital. The post holder should have a minimum of 2 years' experience in an acute setting, Prior experience of leading a team is essential

Requirements

• Evidence of relevant on-going professional development
• ENB 998 or equivalent is essential
• Clinical leadership
• Ongoing professional development
• Evidence of managing change
• Minimum of 2 years' experience as Band 5 within the acute medical setting
• A genuine desire to improve patient care
• The ability to deputise in the Ward Manager's absence

About the Trust

Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites. Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.

Primary Care

Primary Care Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.

Community Services

Community Services Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.

Specialist Regional Services

Specialist Regional Services We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.

Achievements

• Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
• Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
• National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme