Band 6 Charge Nurse - Bristol

Job overview

Elizabeth Casson House (ECH) is an 8‑bed female Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit, and we’re looking for a compassionate and confident Band 6 Nurse to join our experienced and supportive team. Our staff bring strong clinical skills, good judgement and a genuine commitment to providing safe, trauma‑informed care to women during periods of crisis. You will also have the opportunity to develop knowledge in women’s mental health and understanding the gender specific factors that influence presentation, risk and recovery.

You will be part of a team that values openness, reflection and shared learning. Staff wellbeing is really important to us! We work closely together, support each other day‑to‑day, and make sure people feel appreciated and equipped to do their best work.

You’ll have opportunities to develop your leadership skills, contribute to service development and build confidence in areas such as de-escalation, relational security and culturally informed practice. We’re committed to developing both our staff and our practice, and to continually improving the experience we offer to the women in our care.

ECH is a bright, calm and therapeutic environment. We are one of the few wards with a dedicated sensory room! A space to support emotional regulation, reduce distress and promote wellbeing.

If you’re looking to join a welcoming, skilled team who are passionate about delivering excellent care and supporting one another, we’d be very happy to hear from you.

Main duties of the job

As a Band 6 Nurse on ECH, you will take a key leadership role in the day‑to‑day running of the ward. This includes clinically leading shifts, supervising junior staff, and helping to maintain high standards of safe, compassionate care. You will also support the Ward Manager with operational duties and may provide cover in their absence to ensure continuity for the team.

You will support staff to recognise and respond to rising levels of distress, using relational approaches and de‑escalation skills to maintain a calm and therapeutic environment.

The role includes participation in the Duty Nurse rota, offering support and guidance to other wards across the Callington Road Hospital site outside of core hours. This provides valuable experience in site‑wide coordination and leadership.

You will be an experienced RMN or RNLD with a strong commitment to clinical excellence, emotional resilience and service development. Professional growth is important to us, and you will be supported to take responsibility for your own learning through training, supervision, reflective practice and involvement in ward‑based quality improvement projects. Rotational posts can be considered for those wishing to broaden their experience.

ECH is based within Callington Road Hospital, which hosts a range of mental health units. Wards work closely together and support one another when needed, creating a collaborative and responsive environment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

1. Clinical Nursing Practice To carry out clinical nursing practice within designated areas, working to provide high quality, evidence-based nursing assessment, care planning, intervention and evaluation. This will include:

• Utilising excellent communication skills to develop a rapport to be able to provide and receive complex sensitive confidential information including distressing or emotional circumstances.
• Recognising the potential barriers to communication and practicing with empathy, reassurance and understanding.
• Undertaking complex comprehensive nursing assessments using analytical and judgement skills on a range of problems requiring investigation.
• Collaboratively undertaking clinical risk assessments and developing and supporting personal safety plans and crisis and contingency planning with the service user, and where appropriate carers and families.
• Using professional, clinical knowledge acquired through training to degree/diploma level, supplemented by specialist clinical training and current practice-based evidence to plan and organise provision of care.
• Planning appropriate care and treatment interventions alongside colleagues, service users and where appropriate carers and families.
• Providing specialist advice in relation to care to service users and where appropriate carers and families.
• Delivering a range of psychosocially informed nursing therapies in accordance with service user’s care plans, needs and preferences.
• Organising complex interventions requiring formulation of need and risk.
• Demonstrating highly developed nursing skills obtained through practice, understanding the importance of accuracy and a narrow margin for error.
• Demonstrating a commitment to reducing restrictive practice whilst supporting challenging behaviour and verbal aggression.
• Delivery of restrictive interventions within Trust and legislative guidance, requiring a varying level of physical effort.
• Administering appropriate medication within relevant Trust and legislative guidance, by different routes including injectable medicines.
• Ensuring the ordering, storing and disposal of medication complies with relevant Trust and legislative guidance.
• Demonstrate a working knowledge of the key elements of the relevant Mental Health Legislation.
• Collaboratively evaluating the impact and effectiveness of care and working to improve these outcomes.
• Supervising the practice of less experienced and newly qualified practitioners, student nurses or support worker colleagues.
• Leading clinical meetings to support the service users journey through the care pathway, proactively identifying and overcoming barriers to discharge.

2. Continuing Professional Development To maintain and develop professional knowledge, skills and expertise to ensure that practice reflects best practice, remains evidence based, is current and responsive to the changing service user and NHS service needs. This will include:

• Taking responsibility for post-registration education and for continuing professional development as outlined in NMC standards.
• Participating in education and training opportunities.
• Undertaking a thorough revalidation process in line with NMC and AWP policy.
• Maintaining up to date knowledge of the relevant medicines, related medication management issues and act in accordance with the appropriate NMC standards and Trust guidance.
• Abiding by the legal rules, statutory regulations and professional responsibilities relation to practice as outlined in the NMC code of conduct.
• Receiving restorative clinical supervision on a regular basis in line with the Trust clinical supervision policy.
• Engaging in management supervision from an identified line manager, or appropriate delegate in line with the Trust management supervision policy.
• Engaging with Trust appraisal process in line with policy.
• Maintaining Health and Safety in accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974).
• Working within the Trust Policies and Procedures.

3. Education, Development and Collaborative Learning To work towards a sustainable culture of continuous collaborative learning to keep own practice clinically current, and to foster a team learning ethos. This will include:

• Support effective learning environments by upholding the NHSE Safe Learning Environment Charter principals.
• Modelling nursing skills and promoting the value of clinical nursing to modern mental healthcare at any opportunity including demonstrating own activities to new starters, less experienced practitioners and students.
• Providing advice, mentoring and supervision (both management and clinical) for colleagues.
• Acting as a Practice Supervisor / Practice Assessor for a range of learners and provide robust practice development and assessment experiences.
• Support other registrants to undertake a thorough revalidation process in line with NMC and AWP policy.

4. Recording, Reporting and Communication To maintain standards of record keeping and associated administration in accordance with AWP Trust Policy and professional guidelines. This will include:

• Keeping contemporaneous, chronological and accurate mental health records in accordance with NMC guidelines and Trust policy.
• Adhere to and role model effective records management in line with Trust policies and procedures.
• Practice within the legal requirements relevant to the Mental Health Act and Mental Capacity Act Legislation.
• Taking part in a rolling programme of audit.
• Participate in relevant practice development, Quality Improvement and/or research activity relevant to practice area.
• Fulfilling Nurse in Charge role as per AWP guidance.
• Demonstrating effective and appropriate delegation of duties.
• Using own skills, knowledge and resources to provide clinical leadership for all members of the MDT.
• Effectively managing both own time and that of junior staff and students.
• Deputising for the ward manager in their absence which will include short term roster management.
• Undertaking discharge planning involving the coordination of external organisations.
• Providing supervision for unregistered practitioners and junior registered nurses in accordance with Trust management and clinical supervision policies.
• Contribute to the management and development of junior staff through the delivery of clinical teaching.
• Providing appraisals for junior staff in line with Trust appraisal policy.
• Maintaining the safety of service users and staff within the inpatient setting and ensure legal obligations are fulfilled.
• Having an understanding of any identified environmental risks and their mitigation plans.
• Taking part in environmental risk assessments as requested.
• Demonstrating safe staffing through the effective use of the electronic rostering system.
• Managing temporary staffing resources in line with AWP guidance.
• Being familiar with and complying with all Policies and Procedures operational within the Trust.
• Contributing to policy and practice changes arising from learning from experience opportunities i.e. audit, complaints, SUI.
• Maintaining stock control and a personal duty of care in relation to equipment and resources.
• Compassionate Leadership and Management To provide clinical leadership for colleagues and external professionals at all levels. Making the best use of resources to ensure the delivery of high-quality care. Follow Trust policies in relation to the security of the building and service users to ensure safe practice and protection of service users, staff, visitors and members of the public. This will include:

Applicant requirements

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.