Registered Nurse - Intensive Care Unit

Job overview

This is a fantastic time to join our enthusiastic and motivated team.  The challenges of critical care offer rewarding acute experience. Our supportive team is expanding to encompass individuals who have a desire to increase their clinical expertise and contribute to the constantly challenging environment of acute critical care nursing and medicine.

The ideal candidate will work as part of a team that is committed to maintaining high standards, is career aspirational and that appreciates the individual. ICU experience is desirable but not essential as full in-service training will be given.

Our Practice Development Nurse Team offer a comprehensive Band 5 induction  and supportive supernumerary orientation.   Further education is tailored to your developmental needs to support completion of the Critical Care Step 1, 2 and 3 programme via post graduate academic study.

If you are ready to play a key role within a dynamic nursing team and are passionate about delivering person centered care with kindness and dignity, we encourage you to join us. We promote flexible working practices within the unit and internal rotation between day and night shifts is required for this position.   Working days and shift patterns are negotiable with the line manager.

This position will not be supported for visa sponsorship.  All applicants are expected to have valid right to work document to work in the UK when applying for this position.

Main duties of the job

To work as a registered nurse to provide direct nursing care to Intensive Care and High Dependency Care patients. To gain proficiency in:

Invasive and non-invasive ventilation

Haemofiltration

Care of the unconscious patient

Care of invasive lines and monitoring

Tracheostomy care

Excellent communication and documentation

Psychological care

End of life care in a critical care environment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical responsibilities:

Complete a supervised clinical competency programme for ICU/HDU.

To encourage and promote the delivery of nursing care that is based as the latest research and is deemed to constitute best practice.

To be involved in clinical audit, to ensure that standards of care evident in policies, protocols/practice remain research and evidence-based.

To be clinically safe in the delivery of care in a critical care environment.

To be actively involved in the inter and intra hospital transfer of patients. To be responsible for the safe and stable transfer of patients outside the Trust – recording vital signs, maintaining current drug therapies, completing documentation and ensuring an accurate handover on arrival.

To ensure that all necessary documentation is completed in accordance with agreed standards.

Report accidents, incidents and complaints to the nurse in charge of the unit.

To participate in the attainment of corporate, directorate and unit targets in relation to the relevant government documents and initiatives.

Undertakes internal rotation in line with the unit shift patterns and local guidelines

To be involved in the teaching of basic/specialist skills to all grades of staff with scope of competencies and skill.

Takes an active role in the introduction and implementation of new ideas and methods of care.

Following assessment, safely administer IV drugs, including Inotropic support and controlled drugs – ensure an awareness of side effects.

Assist with chest Physio as per individual patient requirements.

To deal appropriately with continuous exposure to bodily fluids, vomit, sputum and soiled line.

To deal appropriately with aggressive and abusive behaviour from patients.

Maintain patients dietary needs in accordance with plans laid out by the dietician.

Assist in the safe moving and handling of level 1 and 2 patients – using a combination of manual and electrical lifting equipment. For example, sliding sheets, stretcher hoist and sling hoist.  Physical movement of patients is also used to change position.

Managerial responsibilities:

Co-ordinate patient care and maintain effective communication within the multi-disciplinary team.

To ensure that all nursing records and documents are completed accurately and legibly to meet the Trust’s legal requirements.

Ensure that all staff are aware of their responsibilities in the prevention and control of infection. Reporting known or potential cases to the nurse-in-charge.

Have an awareness of judicious use of resources and report insufficiencies to the nurse-in-charge.

To be competent in the use of information technology available within the Unit.

To act as a positive role model with regard to attitude, conduct and appearance.

To have an awareness of national and local health policies and their implications to the critical care service.

To comply with the health and safety regulations to maintain a safe environment for patients, relatives and staff.

Please see attached job description for further information.