Registered Nurse
Base: Skanda Vale Hospice, Saron, Carmarthenshire SA44 5DY.
Contract Salary: £15.75 per hour with a 25% uplift on nights.
Bank Salary: £17.65ph (day rate) / £22.07ph (night rate) which includes 12.07% payment in lieu of holiday entitlement.
Overview
Supported by: Lead Nurse / Deputy Lead Nurse.
Hours: Contracted hours will be agreed upon before starting in the post and will correspond with our respite service which is pre-booked throughout the year. There may also be scope for bank nurses to cover additional shifts on an ad hoc basis.
Shifts: 7:30 am to 2:30 pm and 2:00 pm to 8:30 pm. Night shifts run from 8 pm to 8 am and you may occasionally be asked to cover a night if the regular night team are unavailable.
Your primary role will be to provide high-quality palliative care in true collaboration with our patients plus their family members and those most important to them. This will include holistic assessment, planning, delivery and evaluation of person-centred care plans. You’ll serve as a role model for team members, providing supervision, motivation, support and encouragement. You’ll be working within a team composed largely of volunteers, some of whom have decades of experience; and you’ll need to embrace the Hospice’s ethos and support our commitment to the evolution of a volunteer care delivery model. You will be supported by the Lead Nurse / Deputy Lead Nurse.
Key responsibilities:
- Patient Care: Provide comprehensive nursing care including pain and symptom management, wound care, medication administration and personal care in the way that works best for our patients. This means fully supporting their participation as well as that of their family and those closest to them to enhance their dignity, comfort, and quality of life.
- Shift Leader: Take overall responsibility for the shift, including for patients and team members, for the environment, the role of Fire Warden and any issues that arise on that shift, communicating well with all relevant individuals.
- Assessment and Planning: Conduct thorough, holistic assessments of patients’ physical, emotional, and psychosocial needs, developing individualised care plans in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team, and regularly evaluate and adjust care interventions to meet changing patient needs.
- Communication: Establish therapeutic relationships with patients and their families, providing emotional support, education and advice, and facilitating (though not imposing) open, honest and timely communication about prognosis, treatment options, and end-of-life preferences.
- Collaboration: Work collaboratively with doctors, palliative care clinical nurse specialists, nurse practitioners, social workers, spiritual carers and all members of the multidisciplinary team to coordinate and deliver comprehensive, patient-centred care, supporting seamless transitions between care settings as well as continuity of care.
- Documentation: Maintain accurate and contemporaneous patient records, including assessments, care plans, progress notes, and medication administration records, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards, confidentiality, and data protection regulations.
- Education and Support: Provide information and advice to patients and their families on disease management, symptom control, medication management and advance / future care planning, empowering them to participate in decision-making and self-care.
- Health and Safety: Follow infection control protocols, health and safety regulations and hospice policies and procedures to maintain a safe and hygienic environment and participate in quality improvement initiatives to enhance patient safety and care quality.
- Self-Awareness: Seek support from senior colleagues as needed to manage your emotional well-being and actively participate in individual or group reflection, debriefing, clinical supervision and other support strategies.
- Professional Development: Engage in ongoing professional development activities, including continuing education, training programs and peer learning opportunities, to enhance your clinical skills, knowledge, and competence in palliative and end-of-life care nursing.
Qualifications and qualities:
- Registered Nurse (RN) qualification with current NMC registration and indemnity insurance to practise without restrictions.
- Minimum of one year of clinical nursing experience, preferably in palliative care, hospice, or end-of-life care settings.
- Strong clinical assessment and nursing skills, including the ability to manage complex symptoms, provide psychosocial support, and facilitate difficult conversations with patients and families.
- Skill and competence with drug administration and aseptic techniques.
- Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to establish rapport, build trust, and communicate effectively with people from diverse cultural backgrounds.
- Compassion, empathy, and a patient-centred approach to care, with a commitment to upholding the dignity, autonomy, and values of our patients, families and friends.
- Demonstrate proficiency in collaborative work within a multidisciplinary team, adjusting well to changing circumstances even amidst interruptions, whilst consistently upholding composure and professionalism in high-stress and emotionally charged scenarios, and reacting to critical events.
- Handle varying and occasionally unpredictable levels of physical exertion to effectively address the needs of both patients and their family members
- Unfazed by regular exposure to bodily fluids during personal care tasks and after a death.
- Flexibility in working shifts, encompassing evenings, nights, and holidays.
Training and support:
- Comprehensive orientation and training will be provided to familiarise Registered Nurses with hospice policies, procedures, and protocols.
- Ongoing support, supervision, and professional development opportunities will also be available to ensure Registered Nurses feel confident and supported in their role.
TO APPLY
Please send a current CV and cover letter explaining your interest and suitability for this position to: jobs@skandavalehospice.org
You can also send a paper copy to:
People Team, Skanda Vale Hospice, Saron, Llandysul, Carmarthenshire SA44 5DY.
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