Paediatric Continence Associate Practitioner

Job overview

BAND 4 Paediatric Bladder and Bowel Care Associate Practitioner

We are seeking a Band 4 Paediatric Continence Associate Practitioner to work within our established Paediatric Bladder and Bowel service. You will be working with children and families who present with a range of bladder and bowel care difficulties aged between 0- 18 years. The role will require you to hold clinics, carry out investigations, and develop and carry out appropriate treatment plans based on best practice evidence.

The service provides support to children within the University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust area which includes Plymouth and West Devon.

You will be based at the Child Development Centre, alongside your team and other multidisciplinary community paediatric colleagues, however the role will also involve multi agency working and both home and school visits.

***Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and 'At Risk' status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.***

Main duties of the job

The role will require you to hold clinics, carry out investigations, and develop and carry out appropriate treatment plans based on best practice evidence.

Please feel to contact the centre if you require any additional information.

About us

The team comprises of a Lead Nurse Specialist, 2 x band 6 Specialist Nurses and 3 x band 4 associate practitioners. We are a small team but have a great supportive team working ethic. We work within the child development centre, where there is a whole host of other paediatric services, who all complement each other, and enable broader multidisciplinary working to take place under one roof.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

- In conjunction with the specialist nurse provide a specialist community nursing service for children with continence needs, liaising and co-ordinating with all professionals involved in the child / family care. The post holder provides education, advice and support to enhance independence.

- The post holder will empower and support families to manage their Childs continence at home thus avoiding hospital appointments/admissions.

- The post holder will support the Continence Nurses by obtaining specialist knowledge in the field.

- Ensure the appropriate use of continence products.

Key Dimensions:

- Act with the Paediatric Continence Nurses as a key worker for children with complexcontinence needs within the family.

- As a health professional, become involved with co-ordinating pathways of care and help develop the service to meet national guidance and standards.

- Provide education, advice and support empowering families to manage their childs condition at home.

- As a health professional assist with the responsibility for health problems arising to maintainingthe child in the family home.

- Liaison between hospital and home.

- Act as a specialist resource by providing education and advice to multi-disciplinary staff.

- Attend multi-agency professional meetings if required.

PRIMARY DUTIES & AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

• Undertake the on-going assessment of children requiring continence products and to identify those who may benefit from toilet training.
• Organise continence products/supplies and ensure families/carers are trained in their use, ensuring appropriate continent products are provided.
• To assist with the management of a caseload of children with continence needs, assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating their individual programme of care, take advice from clinical lead when required.

• Liaise with Paediatricians and other multi-disciplinary/agency staff.
• Devise, implement and monitor toilet training programmes working with parents, settings and the wider MDT as appropriate.
• Undertake visits to children and their families at home or other appropriate settings to undertake continence training and provide on-going support and advice, feeding back to referrer as required.
• Identify child/parent learning needs and modify approach accordingly, develop strategies and tools for learning.
• Undertake assessments of developmental skills around toilet training providing advice to parents / professionals re suitability to commence a programme.
• Accepting referrals from Consultants and Specialist nurses undertake Urotherapy clinics providing assessment and devising treatment plans appropriate to the individual.
• Lead on the biofeedback service, undertaking a clinic for children requiring biofeedback as referred by the paediatric urologist. Liaising back with the Paediatrician and / or Lead nurse as appropriate.
• Performing and accurately recording height, weight and urinary investigations
• Chaperone Professional as required.
• Undertake follow up clinic on selected paediatric continence patients alongside Nurse led clinic.

• Perform urinary bladder and flow studies, recording findings and reporting to Paediatric Continence Nurse/Paediatrician.
• In conjunction with Paediatric Continence Nurse contribute to the maintenance of high standards of care by developing evidence based protocols and guidelines and ensure they are introduced into all care settings, including homes, schools and other community settings.
• Assist in problem solving to prevent continence/health deterioration and reduce hospital admissions.
• Update specialist continence knowledge to ensure that your area of speciality is evidence based and in line with NICE/Trust guidelines.
• Provide health education/promotion in a sensitive and tactful manner.
• Within continence role attend clinics, seminars and relevant knowledge updates.
• Report any untoward incidents in accordance with Trust Policy.
• Work alongside nursing/medical students on placement ensuring appropriate education provided to meet their competencies.