Respiratory Nurse Specialist

Job summary

The Respiratory Nurse Specialist will provide high-quality, patient-centred care to adults with acute and chronic respiratory conditions. The post-holder will work autonomously and as part of the multidisciplinary team to deliver expert assessment, clinical interventions, education and support across inpatient, outpatient and community settings. They will play a key role in the management of conditions such as asthma, COPD, interstitial lung disease, bronchiectasis, oxygen therapy management and respiratory failure.

The role includes supporting early discharge schemes, reducing hospital admissions, leading nurse-led clinics, and promoting self-management. The post-holder will contribute to service development, clinical audit and education of staff, patients and carers.

Main duties of the job

Provide specialist respiratory assessment, diagnosis support, and evidence-based interventions for patients with complex respiratory conditions.

Lead and manage nurse-led clinics (COPD, asthma, drug trials, 6MWT.).

Deliver timely interventions to support early discharge and prevent avoidable admissions.

Carry out advanced respiratory assessments, including spirometry, peak flow monitoring, oxygen saturation assessment, and inhaler technique reviews.

Initiate, titrate and evaluate oxygen therapy in line with national and local guidelines.

Provide expert advice on the management of acute exacerbations and chronic disease symptoms.

Support patients with long-term condition management, self-management plans and personalised care planning.

Work collaboratively with the wider MDT including respiratory consultants, physiotherapists, pharmacists and community teams.

Educate patients and families regarding disease management, inhaler use, lifestyle changes and treatment plans

The role also includes outpatient clinics for nebulised antibiotics, and biologic therapies for severe asthma, as well supporting with our sleep service.

About us

If you are being interviewed you must accept an interview slot in the system to continue, even if you have arranged with the manager.

You must be able to produce ALL certificates stated essential in the person specification or you will not be able to complete pre-employment checks.

We provide hospital services from two acute sites - Darlington Memorial Hospital and University Hospital of North Durham. We have a centre for planned care in Bishop Auckland and provide care from community hospitals in Chester-le-Street, Shotley Bridge, Barnard Castle, Sedgefield and Weardale as well as over 80 other community based settings and providing care in patients' homes.

We particularly welcome applications from disabled and Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) candidates as BAME and disabled people are currently under-represented.

Full Job Descriptions can be found in the adverts supporting documents.

Over reliance on AI-generated content is discouraged and may diminish the applicant's chances of success.

For the most up-to-date information on visa requirements and eligibility, please check online to determine whether you can apply.

Details

• Date posted: 26 August 2026
• Pay scheme: Agenda for change
• Band: Band 6
• Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum, pro rata
• Contract: Permanent
• Working pattern: Full-time
• Reference number: C9439-2627-RP-N249
• Job locations: University Hospital Of North Durham, North Road, DURHAM, DH1 5TW, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities

A Respiratory Nurse Specialist works as an expert clinician within the hospital to assess, treat and support patients with a wide range of acute and chronic respiratory conditions. The role combines advanced clinical care, patient education, service development, and multidisciplinary team working.

Main duties and responsibilities

Facilitating early supported discharge from hospital to the virtual ward or Hospital at Home.

Ensuring smooth transitions between services by providing clear handover, discharge advice and safety-netting.

Supporting data collection, audit and service evaluation for both the Hospital at Home and Virtual Ward pathways.

Performing comprehensive respiratory assessments:

Respiratory rate, work of breathing, auscultation

Oxygen saturation and ABG interpretation

Exertional testing and breathlessness scoring

Reviewing and optimising inhaler use, medication adherence and treatment plans.

Supporting management of acute conditions such as:

COPD exacerbations

Asthma attacks

Pneumonia

ILD

Bronchiectasis flare-ups

Delivering clinical interventions including nebulised medications, oxygen therapy titration, and airway clearance support.

delivering respiratory clinics to administer asthma biologics, 6MWT, nebulised drug trials.

Managing oxygen and supporting staff with advice to wean and manage 02.

Contribute to virtual ward MDT meetings, discussing patient progress and care plans.

Participate in service development initiatives to improve patient outcomes and pathways.

Contribute to clinical audit, quality improvement projects and research where appropriate.

Ensure practice aligns with local and national guidelines (e.g., NICE, BTS, GOLD).

Maintain accurate, timely and comprehensive patient documentation.

Adhere to infection prevention and control standards and promote safe practice across the service.

Maintain professional registration and comply with NMC standards of practice.

Engage in continuing professional development and attend mandatory training.

Act as an autonomous practitioner while recognising limits of competence and seeking support where required.

Represent the respiratory nursing team in meetings, working groups and specialty development forums

patient and family education, smoking cessation, inhaler technqiue, managemet plans

work with in the MDT with respiratory consultants, pharmacists, community repsiratory nurses

carrying out specialist procedures such as spirometry and FeNO

Assess patients with a diagnosis of OSA, initiate treatment, educate and advise appropriately.

Follow up patients on CPAP therapy, adjust treatments and troubleshoot as necessary.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).