ACHD Specialist Nurse

Job overview

Band 6 Specialist Nurse – Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD)

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated and compassionate nurse to join our dynamic Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) team.

We are looking for a Band 6 Specialist Nurse with a passion for cardiology and a desire to make a difference in the lives of adults living with congenital heart disease. You will work alongside a multidisciplinary team providing high-quality, patient-centred care to a growing and complex patient group.

This post will offer the successful applicant the opportunity to develop specialist knowledge in skills required to care for adult congenital heart patients, whilst also gaining experience in leadership, service development and autonomy.

The ACHD Specialist Nursing Team operates within the East Midlands Congenital Heart Disease Level 1 Centre (EMCHC), providing expert, specialist care to adult congenital heart patients across Leicester and the wider East Midlands region. The service includes inpatient care, outpatient clinics, and specialised outreach to peripheral centres, ensuring equitable access to high-quality ACHD care throughout the network.

This service is a dynamic, forward-thinking team with a commitment to delivering outstanding care. This role offers a unique chance to lead a specialist nursing service within a nationally recognised centre, influence service growth, and make a real difference in the lives of patients living with congenital heart disease.

Main duties of the job

• Work alongside other paediatric cardiac specialist nurse to ensure  the  development  and  delivery  of  a  high  quality service.
• Directly  or  indirectly  influence  all  aspects  of  care  and management of patients within the EMCHN
• Ensure the delivery of the highest quality, clinical effective care,  and  patient  experience,  prioritising  and  utilising research  in  collaboration  with  colleagues  in  everyday practice.
• Act as a role model and clinical resource demonstrating high  standards  of  care  and  providing  clinical  guidance within the specialist area.
• Support the development and delivery of a programme of practice and professional development for staff within the speciality.
• Liaise  with  professional/education  agencies  and  other health  care  professionals  within  primary  and  secondary care settings.

• Act  as the  clinical  expert  and professional  resource for patients   their   carer’s   and   families   and   the   multi-professional team.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

TEAM WORKING AND COMMUNICATION

• Take responsibility for ensuring effective communication between all service providers within the speciality.
• Provide and establish good positive working relationships with the ACHD Specialist Nurses, Heads of Nursing, Sister / Charge Nurse and their teams, Education and Practice Development Lead, Matrons, relevant Clinicians, Service Managers and General Managers.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• Assist in the implementation of specialist education and training to all members of the clinical team and nursing staff within the CMG /Network, in collaboration with the Senior ACHD Nurse, Network educator, Network manager and Lead nurse.
• Actively encouraging life-long learning and personal development through appraisal and continuing professional development.
• Assist in the development of a patient focused education and information giving strategy within the specialty.
• Working with the Women’s and children’s Education and Practice Development Lead ensure that specialist education and training meets the needs of the service, multi-professional clinical teams, patients and carers.

SERVICE DELIVERY & DEVELOPMENT

Manage a caseload of patients, as appropriate within the speciality, delivering individualised and personalised direct patient care.

• Provide clinical expertise, specialist advice and support across the whole spectrum of the service.
• Demonstrate in depth specialist knowledge, skills and innovative practice in the specialist area, supporting the delivery of appropriate evidence based care, and advanced practice.
• Support, assist and encourage the multi-disciplinary team in resolving complex patient problems, by the provision of new and innovative models of case management.

GOVERNANCE

• To participate in the setting and monitoring of standards in the service, which utilises research based evidence, and is audited and improved accordingly.
• To participate in formal and informal education for all members of staff interacting with ACHD
• Facilitates, plans and delivers a range of education and training to professionals, patients and carers, and contributes to the audit process
• Contribute to the audits of the ACHD service to enable service development.

PATIENT/CUSTOMER SERVICE

• Act as a proficient role model for the ACHD service and provide specialist knowledge as required.
• Assist in the delivery of a high quality service from referral through to assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and review.
• To provide highly developed specialist knowledge and expertise in the delivery of high standards of patient care, and contribute to its advancement.

RESEARCH

• Facilitate research awareness to enable staff to critically appraise current practice.
• Assist with the identification of areas to participate in clinical research
• Influence and develop policy making and clinical guidelines internally and externally, necessary to support the specialist nursing service.
• Lead and participate in audit and research and benchmarking activities to ensure effective safe and evidence based practice.

Please see job description/person specification for further details on the role