Cancer Specialist Nurse (Upper Gastrointestinal)

Job overview

We are looking for a highly motivated and compassionate Specialist Nurse to join our Upper GI Cancer Specialist Nursing Team.  OUH is a tertiary referral centre for oesophogogastric cancer.

Informal visits are welcomed and form an essential insight into the service. Please contact the team for more information.

The role will support the current CNS with ongoing development of the oesophogogastric service as well as supporting patients with cancer of unknown primary.

You will be expected to promote a high-quality service that provides specialist care, information, support and management to patients, their families and carers.  Our nursing teams are central to the delivery of excellent care to cancer patients attending the Oxford University Hospitals. Our teams deliver a holistic approach using the latest technologies to support individualised assessments and care planning. The service aims to provide focused and co-ordinated specialist knowledge and skills to enable patients to have access to a comprehensive package of care and intervention, supporting patients in clinical decision making, providing individualised information and co-ordinating complex care pathways. You will work closely with other members of the specialist nursing, AHP ( Allied Health professionals) and MDT  team across both oncology and surgery.  Liaising with primary care and other specialist teams, to ensure that patients are supported throughout their pathway.

Main duties of the job

Job Summary:

• Employed as a Specialist Nurse, working at an enhanced level of practice, completing a specialist programme of training relevant to the role, or other service training curriculum, in line with their primary professional regulatory body requirements.
• Fulfilling the expectations and capabilities of a Specialist Nurse, will be achieved through workplace-based training and assessments and in clinical practice, with support through clinical supervision in own service/speciality area.
• The Specialist Nurse will be supported in their professional development and wellbeing, working at the level of enhanced practice, through achievement of the academic requirements and evidence of workplace-based capabilities and competence within their service/speciality.
• The Specialist Nurse will be expected to demonstrate and develop proficiency across the four pillars of practice, namely Clinical, Leadership and Management, Education and Research appropriate to their level of practice, and their scope of professional practice.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Specialist Nurse, in Upper Gastrointestinal Cancer (Oesophgogastric/CUP) Service:

Main Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and provide comprehensive clinical care, specialist advice, and support to patients in the Oesophagogastric cancer/CUP service.
• Work as an autonomous, specialist practitioner alongside members of the multidisciplinary team in the Oesophagogastric cancer/CUP service.
• Service specific skills, tasks or procedures required are to provide information and specialist knowledge for the support and education of patients and their carers.
• Improve the provision of care by establishing strong communication links with members of the specialist multi-disciplinary team, in addition to liaising between primary and secondary health care teams.  Influence the development of best clinical practice at local, network, and national levels.
• Participate in the education activities of colleagues to ensure all those involved in patient care have the appropriate knowledge and skills.
• Take on the role of key worker in accordance with National Standards, providing a point of contact and continuity for patients and their families throughout the patient care pathway. Work independently in the assessment of a patient’s needs, and by utilising appropriate assessment and history-taking skills, identify patients’ problems and needs.
• Carry out Holistic Needs Assessments and formulate care plans as required.
• Be flexible within the Oesophagogastric cancer/CUP service to ensure appropriate specialist cover.

This job description outlines the core requirements expected of a Band 6 practitioner working in an autonomous enhanced practice role.  The list below is not exhaustive, and specific requirements related to any specialist area of practice will be outlined with the prospective post holder, in line with professional or service specific training requirements and their professional scope of practice.

Clinical

The post holder will be supported to develop skills, practices and behaviours which…

• Practice in compliance with their respective code of professional conduct, being responsible and accountable for their decisions, actions, or omissions at this level of practice
• Work towards demonstrating a critical understanding of their broadened level of responsibility and autonomy, recognising the limits of their own competence and scope of practice, to include when working with complexity, risk or uncertainty
• Develops own professional judgment skills identifying when to escalate and seek help/guidance, critically reflecting on practice, self-awareness, emotional intelligence and their willingness to change or challenge thought processes.
• Learn to work in partnership with individuals, families and carers, using a range of assessment methods as appropriate (e.g. may include history-taking and physical assessments, holistic assessments, identifying risk factors, mental health assessments, requesting/undertaking and/or interpreting speciality-specific diagnostic tests or procedures, and conducting health needs assessments).
• Develops effective communication skills, supporting people in making decisions, planning care or seeking to make positive health changes, promoting person-centred approaches in health and care.
• Develops effective communication skills with colleagues both internally and/or externally, in verbal, non-verbal and written communication methods, adapting to changing parameters as required; this includes thorough accurate documentation in patient records as required.
• Provides and receives sensitive, complex or contentious information relating to patient care, and communicates information to patients, families or carers with respect, compassion and empathy.
• Develops proficiency and clinical acumen in relation to decision-making skills, to inform clinical reasoning approaches when dealing with specialty-specific presentations; synthesising information from multiple sources to make appropriate, evidence-based judgements within own scope, knowing when to refer or escalate to seniors.
• Develops professional judgement to manage risk appropriately with support and clinical supervision, especially where there may be complex and unpredictable events, promoting the safety and wellbeing of individuals, families and carers.
• Begins to act as a clinical role model/advocate for developing and delivering care that is responsive to changing requirements, informed by local service and local population health needs, external agencies and/or wider networks, acting as a key worker for own case-loads or service as required.
• Demonstrates expertise underpinning the Oesophagogastric cancer/CUP speciality-specific role capabilities and competencies, relevant to the clinical setting and own scope of practice, through the development of a professional portfolio, and in line with any relevant service specific curriculum/frameworks for training.

Leadership and Management

The post holder will be supported to develop skills, practices and behaviours which…

• Will actively participate in the development of the team and the service to continuously improve patient care, participating in implementation of relevant national standards and frameworks at a local level.
• Network locally, regionally, nationally and internationally (as required) and seek opportunities to develop the specialist role or service within scope.

• Initiate and develop effective relationships, fostering clarity of the role within teams, to encourage productive and efficient working.
• Role-model the values of the OUH, demonstrating a person-centred approach to service delivery and improvement.
• Upholds own individual scope of practice, within legal, ethical, professional and organisational policies, governance frameworks and procedures; with a focus on managing risk, upholding safety and delivering high quality care.
• Evaluates own practices, participating in MDT and team evaluations, recognising the impact of enhanced and advanced practice on service function, effectiveness and quality (e.g. care outcomes, patient experience and safety).
• Actively seeks feedback and involvement from individuals, families, carers and colleagues to inform own development and/or service developments in practice.
• Remains adaptable to change, continually developing own practice in response to changing health policies, new treatments, population needs or social challenges.
• Participates in clinical governance reviews and the investigation of clinical incidents and serious incidents; leads and facilitates others to share lessons learned adapt systems and processes accordingly.
• Recognises the critical importance of wellbeing in self and others, seeking to identify and manage stressors or pressures to promote health and wellbeing.

Education

The post holder will be supported to develop skills, practices and behaviours which…

• Identify and address the educational needs of patients, families, carers and staff involved in the delivery of this service, supporting an appropriate learning environment, and contributing to the delivery of education as required.

• Critically assess and address own learning needs, working to a personal development plan that reflects the breadth of professional development across the four pillars of practice, relevant to the practitioner’s own clinical service and scope.
• Critically reflect to maximise own clinical skills and knowledge development, with evidence demonstrated in own professional portfolio of evidence.
• Engage with performance reviews and appraisal processes, as required in own clinical service area and in line with OUH requirements:  Additionally, participating in Clinical Supervision and/or tripartite review meetings with both Clinical Supervisors, Academic Supervisors from the HEI and Line Managers, if undertaking any apprenticeship.
• Advocate for, and contribute to, a culture of departmental, service, and organisational learning, to inspire future and existing staff.
• Where appropriate act as an advisor or educator within own scope of capability and competence, to develop teaching skills (with supervision or support where required) and seeking to instil confidence in others and share best practices.

Research

The post holder will be supported to develop skills, practices and behaviours which…

• Develop and support a ‘knowledge rich enquiry culture’ where research values are fostered, promoted and encouraged.
• With support as required, engages in research activities, upholding good research practice guidelines, in order to develop evidence-based strategies that can be applied to enhance quality, safety, productivity, value or wellbeing.
• Evaluate and audit own clinical practice, selecting and applying valid, reliable methods, then acting on the findings as appropriate with support as required.
• Begin to critically appraise and synthesis the outcomes of relevant research and evaluations, using results to underpin own practice and inform that of others.
• Links professional capabilities in clinical practice to relevant, robust and valid research, evidenced in own professional portfolio of practice (relevant to level of practice).
• Participate in ongoing service review and evaluation, including seeking and monitoring patient experience and quality outcomes, addressing any opportunities or concerns identified
• Disseminate best practice research findings and quality improvement projects.