Emergency Department BBV Testing Project Nurse

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated and enthusiastic Band 6 Nurse to join the HIV Service as the Emergency Department Blood Borne Virus (BBV) Testing Project Nurse. You will play a key role in supporting the Trust's opt-out HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C testing programme across our Emergency Departments.

This varied role combines specialist clinical practice, patient advocacy, service development and multidisciplinary working. You will ensure patients with reactive or indeterminate HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C results receive timely follow-up, support and access to specialist services. Working closely with Emergency Department teams, HIV clinicians, community services and partner organisations, you will help improve early diagnosis, reduce health inequalities, support engagement in care and lead on HIV partner notification activities.

The successful candidate will be an NMC-registered nurse with experience in HIV, Sexual Health or a related specialty. You will have excellent communication and IT skills, be confident managing sensitive conversations, and be able to work autonomously while contributing effectively within a multidisciplinary team.

This is an excellent opportunity to develop specialist knowledge and improve outcomes for people affected by HIV and viral hepatitis. If you are passionate about delivering high-quality, patient-centred care, we would welcome your application.

Main duties of the job

To be responsible for the monitoring and recall of patients tested for HIV within the Emergency Department’s opt-out HIV, Hepatitis B & C testing service.

To provide specialist nursing advice and support to patients, their families and other healthcare professionals following diagnosis of HIV, Hepatitis B &C.

To undertake the assessment of individual service users’ needs and the development, implementation and evaluation of care delivery in a multi-disciplinary changing environment.

To liaise closely with the HIV and Hepatitis services to ensure smooth and effective pathways in to care for patients with a new diagnosis

To follow up patients with existing knowledge of their HIV diagnosis who are not engaged with care and offer support for re-engagement

To be an active member of the multidisciplinary team including SHIP team

To support the senior nurses in exploring current practice, identifying areas for development, and contributing to service changes as require

To contribute to and provide robust procedures and processes for the provision of health promotion, risk management/reduction, behavioural interventions and focused psychological support for patients attending Sexual Health and HIV Services

This post will require cross-site working to support the management and follow-up of Blood Borne Virus (BBV) test results from the Emergency Departments at both Denmark Hill and PRUH sites.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical Practice

• To work with the multidisciplinary team in ED and HIV to promote the universal HIV and BBV testing across all hospital sites.
• To maintain good working relationships with medical, nursing and administration staff within the Trust in particular Emergency Department and Acute Medical Unit.
• To monitor failsafe mechanisms within the Trust to ensure that reactive and indeterminate HIV results are highlighted for follow up
• To engage with patients who have positive or indeterminate HIV, Hepatitis B or C tests via ED to provide information and arrange follow up.
• To maintain and regularly audit a database of HIV testing rates, results, actions and outcomes and ensure timely reporting with action taken in regard to discrepancies, errors or anomalies.
• To work closely with the project board, clinical leads and the sexual health intervention and prevention team (SHIP Team), to ensure that obstacles and problems associated with the project are identified in a timely fashion and support changes to overcome these.
• To work with SH/HIV CNS teams, both acute and community, to develop robust pathways for patients to receive HIV results in a timely manner and have immediate access to the specialist HIV teams for follow up, treatment and care.
• To deliver a high standard of evidence-based care to a specified group of patients.
• To be responsible for the nursing care and management of service users according to national Trust and local policies, guidelines and proformas.
• To maintain patient confidentiality at all times.
• To deliver positive HIV results.
• To provide health promotion, risk management/reduction, behavioural intervention and focussed psychological support for identified patients attending Sexual Health and HIV services.
• To be involved in the health education of patients and relatives, identifying each opportunity to promote a healthy lifestyle.
• To liaise effectively with all members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT) in order to ensure that patients’ needs are met and that services are delivered in accordance with National Service Frameworks and agreed Clinical Care Guidelines.
• To ensure that relevant information regarding the patients’ needs / condition are communicated to the MDT and that any instructions are acted upon.
• To be aware of the need to adhere to the Trust’s policy on valuing equality and diversity in the workplace, this incorporates the patients’ / visitors’ and staff perspective.
• To have due regard for each patient’s cultural and religious beliefs and to respect each patient’s privacy, dignity, gender and sexuality.
• To acknowledge personal limitations in patient care and seek advice from senior staff members.
• To rotate to other departments within the speciality as required or as identified as a personal development need in the appraisal process.
• To be involved with nursing audit.
• To report adverse incidents which occur in the department as per policy. To assist in the investigation of such incidences.
• To ensure contemporaneous record keeping at all times and in line with the Trust policy on documentation.
• Ensure clear and accurate written and verbal information is given at all times.
• To be able to take a sexual history, arrange appropriate tests including microscopy and diagnose and treat common STIs.
• To be able to perform venepuncture in line with Trust policies.
• To contribute to adult and child safeguarding processes and to ensure clinical staff are supported in managing complex cases.
• To maintain clinical credibility by acting as a clinical practitioner within the HIV service, undertaking patient assessment, delivering results, leading partner notification, facilitating access to care, and providing specialist support, health promotion and risk-reduction advice. The post holder will be expected to manage patients' sexual health needs as appropriate or refer/signpost to relevant services where required.
• To supply and administer medication as required via PGD’s.

For full details of the job description and main responsibilities, please refer to the attached Job Description.

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.