Band 6 Deputy Sister/Charge Nurse, HDU - Harefield Hospital

Job overview

Join Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust as a Band 6 Deputy Sister/Charge Nurse in our 10-bedded High Dependency Unit (HDU). We provide specialist care for Level 2 patients managing complex clinical needs—including non-invasive ventilation, inotropic support, and renal replacement therapy—following cardiac, thoracic, transplant, and cardiology surgeries.

Operating on a 1:2 nurse-to-patient ratio, we work as an integrated team alongside our 24-bed ITU. We are looking for an ambitious, caring, and inclusive professional to act as a role model, deliver exceptional patient-centred care, and help lead our supportive team. We fully champion flexible working and are dedicated to your ongoing professional development.

Main duties of the job

• Clinical Leadership: Assist the Sister/Charge Nurse in day-to-day management, efficiently coordinating staffing levels, skill mixes, and temporary bank/agency rosters.
• Expert Patient Care: Autonomously manage complex clinical caseloads, recognizing emergencies, interpreting data, and taking decisive action to maintain safe, high-quality care.
• Staff Development: Supervise, mentor, and assess junior nurses, student nurses, and clinical support workers to foster a rewarding and challenging learning environment.
• Clinical Governance: Lead risk assessments, monitor and audit nursing standards, and promote a proactive "no-blame" culture for incident reporting.
• Effective Communication: Act as a patient advocate, supporting families and carers through difficult clinical conversations and challenging situations with absolute dignity and respect.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Leadership & Management

• Co-ordinate daily ward operations, ensuring patient safety is never compromised by appropriately delegating duties.
• Maintain strict stock control, oversee temporary staff time-sheets, and resolve local patient or visitor complaints efficiently.

Clinical Care Excellence

• Deliver advanced nursing interventions (e.g., chest drain management, tracheostomy care) compliant with NMC and Trust guidelines.
• Administer prescribed medications, blood, and blood products safely.
• Champion holistic care that respects the diverse cultural and spiritual needs of our patients, utilizing the Trust's EPIC system for flawless, legible electronic documentation.

Training & Compliance

• Actively assist in team recruitment, retention, and performance management.
• Drive adherence to essential statutory protocols, including Health & Safety, Safeguarding, and strict Infection Control measures to drastically reduce healthcare-associated infections.