Band 8a - Vascular Access Lead Nurse

Job overview

Are you dynamic? Are you a competent individual and experienced in the insertion and management of vascular devices (including PICC lines)? Are you looking for an opportunity to take on a key leadership role for a growing service?

We are looking for an experienced Vascular Access Practitioner to cover the role as lead for the service for a fixed period.

The role involves teaching healthcare professionals and patients. While not based on the ward, this is a very clinical post consisting of patient review pre and post PICC line insertion and supporting patients and staff with all aspects of vascular access.

If you are interested in the role but do not meet the criteria for the Lead Vascular Access position (8a) we would welcome interest for the band 7 post (please see separate job description attached - salary for a Band 7 ranges from £51,657 - £58,785 per annum inc. HCA)

Main duties of the job

You will be the Lead Nurse for Vascular access based at West Hertfordshire Teaching Hospitals, Watford site. This role is a part of the Infection Prevention and Control multidisciplinary team.

The post-holder will work autonomously as a consulting clinical specialist to provide patient-centred care. This will include advanced clinical assessments of patients requiring advanced vascular access care, selection of most appropriate device, device insertion, and support with on-going management.

As the lead of the service, you will advocate for innovative ways of working, develop, implement, and maintain a wide range of policies/ guidelines/ protocols, educational initiatives.

The job also has managerial duties of the vascular access service members, as per human resources protocols.

The main objective of the Vascular Access service is to prevent vascular access related - hospital acquired infections. You will manage a hospital database and a programme of surveillance to ensure these high standards are maintained and implement strategies or complication reductions.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Act as the lead specialist to healthcare professionals across the Trust for all matters Vascular access.

Lead the vascular access service and manage its members.

Provide mentorship for the specialised area of IV therapy and intravascular devices.

Member of the OPAT (Outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy) and Infection Prevention and Control MDT. Provide vascular access expertise and promote IVOS (intravenous to oral switch).

Report into the Infection Prevention and Control MDT and governance structures

Identify key personnel for advance vascular access skill training.

Develop in collaboration with other relevant teams/ individuals a base-hospital-wide training strategy which enhances the professional development of them, with association of the Training and education department.

Be responsible of the vascular access service budget/ finances which includes all supplies around PICC/ midline insertions.

Create new pathways to reduce re-admissions via A&E and support Virtual Hospital.

Have an in-depth knowledge and extensive clinical experience of intra vascular access devices.

Be highly skilled in peripheral cannulation and midline/ PICC insertion.

Be knowledgeable of how tunnelled intra vascular access devices are inserted and expand into peripherally inserted port-a-caths if the demand is needed.

To advise and support healthcare professional in the utilisation of IV therapy resources and services.

Support healthcare professionals to holistically manage therapeutic interventions using multiple approached to decision-making.

Identify appropriate patients requiring a central venous access device and, following consultation with (or providing consultation to) medical staff.

To liaise with the clinical teams and the Infection Prevention and Control team in relation to infected Central Venous Access Devices (CVAD) sites and multi-resistance around the preventions and management.

To initiate, participate and promote activities which contribute to the process of IV therapy nursing/ medical research and/ or audit.

To create and facilitate nurse led clinics for outpatients with indwelling CVADs and manage any complications.

The core hours are Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm at the Watford Hospital site.