Apheresis unit deputy manager

Job overview

Nottingham therapeutic apheresis service is a rapidly growing service based within clinical haematology at Nottingham city hospital. The apheresis service provides a range of procedures including stem cell harvesting for both patients and donors, T-Cell collection, plasma exchange, red blood cell exchange and therapeutic photopheresis. The apheresis service provides treatment for patients who are referred from Derbyshire, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Staffordshire. We are also closely linked with our Haematology Daycase unit where we deliver different treatments such as chemotherapy, immunotherapy and blood products transfusions to name a few.

Main duties of the job

As the apheresis unit deputy manager you will work closely with the apheresis unit manager to:

Complete managerial duties such as return to work discussions, sickness monitoring and rota completion.

Support the implementation of both clinical and non‑clinical governance through audits and change management projects.

Ensure high quality, evidence-based care is offered to patients and, in collaboration with the ward manager identify the common issues which affect the quality of care, devising clear action plans to address any shortcomings ensuring agreed action is undertaken.

Improve and maintain standards of essential (basic) nursing care by using tools such as clinical audits.

You will provide all aspects of clinical care for patients and stem cell donors. This involves working as part of a highly skilled specialist team, acting as a source of clinical expertise.

You will be trained to perform a wide range of apheresis procedures including stem cell collections, red cell exchanges, plasma exchanges and extracorporeal photopheresis.

Participation in our 24 hour on call service in addition to your contracted hours is required. The post holder will be based at City Campus, NUH. Core working hours are Monday to Friday 08:00 – 18:00, on call hours are from 18:00 – 08:00 weekday nights and 24hours on weekends.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key job responsibilities

Clinical

Taking responsibility for the care of a caseload of patients requiring specialist Apheresis procedures under the guidance of the Apheresis Lead Nurse.

To be a highly competent, knowledgeable and visible practitioner within the speciality ensuring the provision of excellent, evidence-based nursing care for patients and their families.

Take direct referrals, in accordance with apheresis service guidelines as appropriate and assess, treat and refer patients to other members of the clinical team as required.

To work alongside all members of the team to identify new ways of working that ensure high quality of care is delivered.

Be a visible point of contact for patients, visitors, relatives and staff, acting as a resource for information and provide information and support.

Ensure pre-collection patient/donor evaluation is complete for autologous and allogeneic stem cell collections.

Develop skill in care of the central venous catheter, venepuncture, cannulation, intravenous drugs, chemotherapy and venesection, apheresis and blood product administration in accordance with the hospital’s guidelines for clinical practice

In conjunction with the MDT, ensure that patient care plans are regularly reviewed and evaluated. Ensure nursing records and documentation is maintained and current. Be a key member of the MDT in supporting patients and their carers during the delivery of bad news, caring for terminally ill patients and the event of death.

Managerial

Take charge and lead the apheresis unit in the absence of the Apheresis Lead Clinical Nurse Specialist.

Take an active role in influencing service development through specific research and audit projects.

Be responsible for supporting the Apheresis lead Nurse to help maintain both the JACIE and Human Tissue Authority accreditation for the Apheresis department as required to practice as a transplant centre.

In collaboration with the transplant programme director and senior nurses, the post holder will ensure compliance with pre-established specifications/standards (JACIE/HTA) that underpin the quality of the transplant service with a specific focus on our apheresis service.

Work with the Haematology Quality Manager to maintain and update Standard Operational Procedures (SOP’S) for all aspects of apheresis.

Assist with the establishment, motivation and development of the team.

Contribute to the creation of a positive team and working environment, promoting flexible working. Encourage all team members to demonstrate initiative in their application to practice. Identify and minimize interpersonal conflicts that may affect team or individual performance.

Manage sickness and absence in collaboration with the unit manager.

Maintain and support the unit with accurate incident reporting, ensuring the appropriate action is taken where required.

Investigate and resolve incident reports with appropriate action plans put in place.

Apply the Directorate and Trust clinical governance strategies to clinical area.

To support the Apheresis lead Nurse with an annual audit plan to help develop and implement new processes within the apheresis.

Plan the apheresis rota including on call rota in conjunction with the apheresis unit manager.

Improve and maintain standards in nursing care by working with the unit manager using tools such as benchmarking and audit.

On call service

You will be responsible for working autonomously and accountable for the prescribing of emergency nursing care whilst working out of hours/on-call. This will be for emergency apheresis procedures including plasma exchange, red blood exchange and out of hours stem cell harvesting.

Audit and research

As a member of the quality management team, review current standards of care delivery through audit projects, undertaking audit and research projects where required and encourage team members to be involved. Encourage and facilitate evidence-based practice in all aspects of care delivery

Professional

Take an active role in self-development, by reviewing performance, identifying own development needs and taking the appropriate action in order to meet those needs and help to take the lead on the development of apheresis team objectives

Create a positive learning environment within clinical settings, to encourage and facilitate individual and shared learning and professional development.

Ensure you attend any relevant training or Apheresis study days.

Support the apheresis manager by implementing change in response to clinical, organisational and national demands, in agreement with appropriate others in the unit

Working Conditions

The post holder must be able to:

Work within unpleasant clinical working conditions (for example exposure to body fluids)

Concentrate in an intense and sometimes noisy environment

Cope with potentially violent and threatening situations

Fulfil Trust health and safety policies and procedures when performing risk associated procedures including dealing with hazardous substances

Physically be able to push an apheresis machine around the hospital when lone working on call