Working for our organisation

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust brings together more than 28,000 staff to deliver over 160 clinical services across thirteen hospital locations, operating from three main sites at Southmead, Bristol city centre and Weston.

With an annual turnover of £2.3 billion, we are now one of the largest NHS trusts in the United Kingdom. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone’s throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Bristol NHS Foundation Trust values all people as individuals. As an equal opportunities employer actively working towards a diverse workforce we aim to recruit and retain a workforce which represents the rich diversity of the local population at all levels and are committed to designing our services around the needs of individual patients and those around them. Anonymous information will be used from your application in order to ensure we’re meeting our pledge.

Detailed Job Description And Main Responsibilities

Patient Care

• Take personal responsibility for the nursing care of patients within designated clinical area.
• Ensure that care needs are assessed and programmes of care are developed, implemented, evaluated and documented contemporaneously for caseload of patients in clinical area.
• Plan, allocate, supervise and evaluate working practices of the team on a day to day basis. Provide professional advice and support to team members so that they are able to assume responsibility to carry out delegated duties.
• Take responsibility for the timely, effective and safe discharge of patients. Lead on planning proves and ensure individual plans are in place accordingly to individual patient or family needs.
• For your area, be responsible for implementation and delivery of nutritional and fluid standards including protected meal times.
• Review the effectiveness of treatments and make any necessary modifications, reporting to senior colleagues/medical staff as necessary.
• Ensure the safe storage and administration of intravenous and oral drugs/medication and fluids in accordance with Trust policies.
• Undertake the full range of extended/advanced clinical skills (relevant to clinical area) and supervise/assess others.
• Implement privacy and dignity standards within own sphere of responsibility.
• Respect individuals’ dignity, wishes and beliefs, involving them in shared decision-making with consideration for the vulnerable patient, learning disabilities and child protection issues.
• Be able to confidently complete the required documentation pertaining to:
  • DoLs procedure
  • Referral to Social Service
  • Mental Capacity
  • Mental Health Act
  • Safeguarding referrals
• On identification of concerns, raise through the appropriate line management structures, if necessary, referring to the Trust’s Whistle-blowing procedure.
• Act as advocate for staff/patients in internal and external forums, constructively challenging clinical teams as appropriate.
• Facilitate and maintain clinical competence skills of self and others in day to day working practices
• On a shift by shift basis, be responsible for minimising the risks of infections and for the implementation of the relevant code of Practice for prevention and control of health care
• Report to Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse any issues regarding capacity or skill

Communication and Information

• Maintain effective communication of patient and other essential information with the internal/external members of the multi-disciplinary team
• Be able to communicate difficult, sometimes complex and emotive information e.g. breaking bad news etc.) effectively and, when appropriate, support and coach junior staff in doing the same.
• Communicate effectively via verbal, written and electronic routes and maintain robust processes to ensure the cascade of information to the team and the engagement of team members with Trust plans and objectives
• Accountable for self and team members for accurate and legible record keeping in accordance with local policies and NMC guidelines within own practice and sphere of responsibility

Supervisory and Management Responsibilities

• Take charge of defined clinical areas on a daily basis.
• Assist Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse and support cascade of information and key messages to team in a timely manner.
• Adhere to the Trust’s complaints PALS procedures with regard to written and verbal complaints and escalating cases to Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse or higher when required. Where necessary, develop remedial action plans for designated clinical area and evidence the implementation of action plans.
• On a daily basis allocate workload and, where appropriate, delegate responsibilities amongst the team.
• Working with the Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse, be responsible for the effective use of e-rostering to ensure optimum skill mix for the acuity of patients. Support the Supervisory Sister in identifying staffing projections for the forthcoming 6 and 12 month periods.
• Accountable for the monitoring and initial management of sick absence for own immediate team and escalating cases as appropriate in accordance with Trust policy.
• For designated area tackle poor performance and standards of behaviour and, where necessary, initiate ad-hoc meetings for staff to discuss performance. Matters to be escalated to Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse when necessary.
• Ensure all staff in their area work to the Professional Code of Conduct and/or Trust standards.
• Act as directorate/service/clinical representative at meetings in the absence of Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse or Matron.
• Where necessary, instigate the relevant HR processes to deal with any breaches e.g. Equality and Diversity, Bullying and Harassment etc.
• Ensure all Annual Development Reviews (ADRs) and Personal Development Plans are completed annually for staff within reporting chain.
• Assist with the interview, selection and recruitment process for staff for their own designated areas and wider when requested by Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse or Matron.
• As a shift co-ordinator, have responsibility for health and safety within own sphere of responsibility (e.g. fire, COSHH, violence and aggression, mental capacity act etc.), leading by example ensuring a working culture for the team which is conducive to good health, safety and security practices.
• Report all accidents and/or untoward incidences as per NBT’s clinical risk management procedure.
• Contribute to security of working environment and orders.
• Ensure the safe handling and storage of patients’ valuables and property.
• Act as an ambassador for the area of responsibility and contribute to wider directorate and Trust objectives and continuous improvement opportunities.
• Be responsible for the supervision