Palliative Care Nurse

Job overview

We are looking for an experienced and highly motivated nurse who is passionate about palliative and end of life care to join the hospital based Palliative Care team for a 1 year fixed term contract.  You will play an active part in clinical practice, education, research/audit and the implementation of national guidelines.

Applications for this post are invited from nurses who have experience in Palliative and EOLC care. You should also have a degree/or working towards this, a palliative care qualification and excellent communication skills.  You should be committed to continuing education.

We offer a friendly and challenging working environment with a strong commitment to personal professional development.

Main duties of the job

Advise and provide specialist palliative care for those patients recognised throughout the Trust as requiring palliative or terminal care as a result of a malignant or non-malignant progressive disease.

To increase the standards of palliative and end of life care across the Trust through the provision of direct patient care, educating other health care professionals and developing services.

The successful applicant will work as part of a well-established dynamic multi disciplinary team who provide specialist advice and support to patients, their relatives and all members of the health care teams with the hospital.  The service is offered to patients with both malignant and non-malignant disease.  You will be responsible for managing a caseload of patients with specialist needs.  The team provides a 7 day specialist palliative care visiting service within the hospital.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

• Act in a consultancy role as an expert in palliative care, offering specialist advice, guidance and supervision to clinical staff, patients and carers referring to a Band 7 CNS as necessary
• Demonstrate patient centred approach to the assessment planning
• Implementation and evaluation of care for palliative care patients through the use of a holistic assessment approach
• Provide excellent symptom management to patients and refer complex cases to the appropriate specialist practitioner
• Work collaboratively with the Palliative Medical Consultants and other members of the palliative care team to promote a multi-disciplinary approach to care across the Trust
• Lead on palliative care discharges and fast track patients to their preferred place of care in a timely fashion to reduce length of stay and avoid re-admissions.  Communicate with all health care professionals involved to promote a seamless service for patients and their families.

Please see Job Description and Person Specification for further information