Lead Nurse Dermatology

Job overview

We are looking to recruit an experienced and motivated Lead Nurse to join our Dermatology Department. This is an exciting opportunity for a dynamic nursing professional who is passionate about delivering high quality, patient centred care.

As Lead Nurse, you will provide strong managerial and clinical leadership to the Dermatology nursing team, ensuring the delivery of safe, effective and evidence based care. You will play a central role in shaping service standards, supporting staff development, and promoting a positive and collaborative working environment.

The role is 30 hours per week Monday to Friday based at Leigh infirmary.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will have responsibility for the provision of nursing leadership ensuring the effective use of resources and the development & maintenance of the highest standards of care and efficient service delivery. The post holder will manage departmental staff including appraisal, rostering, recruitment and selection and the supervision of learners.

The post holder will contribute to Nursing, Midwifery, Therapy and Care Staff 5 year forward Strategy and will be proactive in modernising nursing roles within Dermatology and care in accordance with the needs of the patients who access our services.

The post holder will be responsible for ensuring all care is delivered according to Trust Policies and Procedures maintaining contemporaneous and accurate records. By utilising clinical audit, research, supervision of practice and teaching they will monitor and improve standards of care by efficient and effective use of resources/ funding.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

• Provide sound clinical leadership and develop standards and support mechanisms for sharing high quality practice within the department and Trust wide.
• Maintain and promote effective communication within the Dermatology team and other wards and departments, including formal presentation of information relating to your department using formal and informal methods.
• Ensure that staffing levels are appropriate to patient and departmental need by adjusting duty rotas and developing proposals for changes to skill mix and staff establishments accordingly.
• Prioritise and delegate workload appropriately whilst monitoring and assessing performance, as well as the work of individuals and teams.
• Provide visible, effective clinical leadership and management which fosters teamwork across professional and organisational boundaries.
• Support the clinical governance leads within the Divisions by contributing to the development and maintenance of governance processes i.e. investigation of clinical incidents, risk management, policies and procedures.
• Support the Matron in the management and investigation of complaints and concerns identified in their area of responsibility supporting changes in practice as required.
• To act as a role model and work within legislation and Trust procedures, ensuring the compliance of all staff working within the unit.
• To demonstrate politeness, courtesy and sensitivity in dealing with patients /clients, visitors/relatives and colleagues, maintaining good customer relations.
• Manage own workload autonomously.
• Develop and maintain Dermatology knowledge and practice by attending and participating in continuing professional development and influence the development of others.
• Contribute to clinical practice, education and development acting as a resource for the support and guidance of staff to represent corporate and Divisional objectives.
• Ensure all nurses comply with NMC regulations and work within their scope of practice.
• Responsibility for delivering aspects of corporate professional Nursing Agenda including the 6 Cs (Compassion in Practice, DOH 2012) as it relates to the area in which they work.

Planning and Organisational Duties

• To be highly visible and accessible to patients and staff, maintaining clinical and professional competence, authority and credibility through active and regular engagement in clinical practice and contact with patients and patient representatives.
• Resolve problems for patients and their relatives by acting quickly to deal with problems when and where they occur and by working closely with the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and the Complaints Service. Using this information to plan and implement actions, thus developing a quality service.
• Ensure that patients are treated with respect and that their privacy and dignity are protected, and that they are addressed in the way that they choose.
• Facilitate regular meetings with staff in order to encourage the exchange and implementation of new ideas.
• Effectively manage the use of allocated resources/funding.
• Manage own workload autonomously.
• Lead the team in the management of the department environment in order to meet the Trust objectives for Risk Management and Health and Safety.
• Challenge behaviour that undermines the rights of others, respecting people’s diversity and valuing them as individuals
• Ensure that patients receive consistent quality care by taking responsibility for driving up standards of care and leading work to improve professional practice and patient services whilst being guided by local and National agendas.
• Ensure that systems are in place for the monitoring of quality standards and patient outcomes, addressing poor performance in line with Trust policy e.g. complaints, incidents, poor communication and Quality Monitoring Programme.
• Work collaboratively with Facilities to ensure all standards of cleanliness are agreed in line with “NHS Clean Hospitals Programme” and encourage and support senior staff to monitor and challenge when standards of environmental cleanliness are not achieved or maintained.
• Negotiate and implement change and new ways of working where necessary. Supporting all staff in dealing with situations involving violence and aggression.

Communications and Key Working Relationships

• Ensure effective communication by written, verbal and the use of IT whilst maintaining up to date records and information that comply with the Data Protection Act.• Ensure that documentation is appropriate, accountable and defensible in area of responsibility.• Formulate, analyse and present information that may be complex in relation to service requirements to improve efficiency and effectiveness, communicating this to Senior Managers and the multi-disciplinary teams.• Use a range of communication skills needed to deliver information which can be highly sensitive, complex, or contentious, on a one-to-one basis or to a group of people.
• Ensure that there are systems in place to develop nurse roles and nurse-in-charge role which meet both needs of the service and corporate objectives.
• To educate and involve patients in their treatment, incorporating psychological support when required and the development of coping strategies when necessary.

Responsibility for Finance

• Effectively manage physical and financial resources, proactively identifying areas for cost improvement ensuring balanced financial budgets, within their own areas of responsibility.
• Monitor, control and store resources/supplies according to the requirements and specifications of the clinical environment.
• Responsible for the safe storage and transportation of all drugs and comply with Medicines Legislation.
• Support the Operational team and Matron in the identification of cost saving initiatives to achieve the department target.
• Ensure that systems are in place to monitor the delivery of goods and services.
• Contribute to ensuring that the Service delivers a balanced budget.
• Ensure the efficient use of bank and agency staff, monitoring quality and expenditure, authorising payments.
• Identify any problems with resource use/availability and make recommendations for corrective actions that are consistent with departmental objectives and organisational policies.
• Ensure the maintenance of accurate records of resource us

Responsibility for Human Resources

• Assess and identify own development needs in relation to Dermatology knowledge and skills required to meet the demands of the role. Take responsibility for continuing professional development and performance of self and team whilst maintaining a personal development plan/portfolio in accordance with registration requirements.
• Ensure equity of access of appropriate learning opportunities for staff in area of responsibility and the application of knowledge and skills gained to practice.
• Line manage members of the Dermatology staff and undertake regular performance review and personal development plans for all staff within area of responsibility, enabling career progression and succession planning.
• Ensure that staff complete mandatory training, to comply with Trust objectives.
• Contribute to and promote a culture that values staff, recognising and acknowledging achievement whilst positively addressing poor performance.
• Contribute to the implementation of key performance indicators for the Trust Attendance Management Policy.
• Act as a role model and support professional development of all students and junior staff.
• Act as a mentor and assessor to assigned learners, to teach and support them through their competency assessment programme.
• Exercise effective managerial and clinical leadership.
• Perform comprehensive assessment of the daily workload/caseload, allocate and co-ordinate staff according to their knowledge and skills ensuring safe provision of care.
• Alert senior managers to resource issues which affect learning, development and performance.
• Identify report and participate in addressing poor performance issues.
• Diffuse challenging behaviour, ensuring that the situation is managed in a sensitive manner.
• Report any incidents/complaints or accidents to the Matron and assist/support in the investigation and resolution of the same.
• Deal personally with patients and relatives to aid resolution of complaints.
• Contribute to the recruitment and selection process.
• Monitor and manage sickness absence of staff in area of responsibility and provide effective support.

Responsibility for Health & Safety

• All staff must take care of their own safety and others who may be affected by their actions or omissions.
• Adhere to Trust and Departmental Health and Safety policies and use any equipment or personal protective equipment provided to ensure safety.
• Co-operate with managers to maintain safe systems and safe workplaces.
• Report any accidents/incidents or ill health, failings in premises equipment or personal protective equipment.
• Not interfere with any equipment provided to ensure Health and Safety.
• Ensure a safe environment for patients and staff by adhering to the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.
• Report clinical and non-clinical incidents through the Hospital reporting system.

Responsibility for Teaching

• Act as a role model, inspiring staff and students with their vision and values, remaining clinically credible by maintaining and enhancing key clinical skills.
• Facilitate a supportive learning environment that enables all multi-disciplinary members of the team to develop.
• Participate in the provision of training for other staff groups across the
• Dermatology service, Trust and externally as appropriate.
• Take responsibility for professional updating by maintaining knowledge and skills in accordance with professional and educational requirements.
• Ensure that all staff receive orientation, induction, preceptorship and mandatory training.
• Ensure the environment is conducive to teaching, education training and development for all staff and students.