SACT Trained Staff Nurse

Job overview

We welcome applications from those who currently hold a UK NMC registration. If you currently hold an overseas nursing qualification and require sponsorship we are not currently direct hiring Internationally Qualified Nurses.

Cancer Services at the Royal Sussex County Hospital are proud to offer an exciting opportunity for band 5 staff nurses to apply for our Part time position in Sussex Cancer Centre . This position is ideal for a SACT trained nurses looking to gain more knowledge, understanding and progress within the specialised field of Oncology nursing in a large tertiary centre. This position will consist of working on the SACT unit and outpatient department at the Sussex Cancer Centre and at the satellite Haematology/Oncology unit at the Princess Royal Hospital.

You will be working in our SACT Day Unit's, where you will be taking part in the administration of SACT, learning about Oncology malignancies and non-malignancies, their specific treatments and care. You will nurse Oncology patients to include symptom management, and administration of SACT.

You will spend time with other cancer specialist services include Clinical Nurse Specialists, ANPs and the Acute Oncology Team.

The staff nurse is a member of the multi-disciplinary team providing skilled care and advice to cancer patients and their families/partners/friends in the  outpatient setting.

Main duties of the job

Whilst working at the Sussex Cancer Centre you will administer systemic anti-cancer therapies (SACT); this will include information giving, assessment of patients, administration of treatments and management of side-effects in an out-patient setting. They will be participating in nurse led services, including the satellite Haematology/Oncology unit at the Princess Royal Hospital.

The post holder will learn about disease related symptom and treatment related symptom management. They will learn about high-standards of end-of-life care and spend time with other cancer specialist services including clinical nurse specialists, ACPs, the palliative care and the acute oncology teams.

We welcome applications from those who currently hold a UK NMC registration. If you currently hold an overseas nursing qualification and require sponsorship we are not currently direct hiring Internationally Qualified Nurses.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Communication

• Regularly interact with patients/carers/relatives and all identified on list of key working relationships.
• Regularly interact and communicate with patients/carers who have diverse limitations in their ability to communicate, ranging from physical, emotional and cultural.
• Provide highly complex information to patients/carers about all aspects of the cancer disease process (diagnosis, prognosis, symptom management and when treatment fails).
• Provide highly complex information to patients/carers about all aspects of treatment (SACT, radiotherapy, venous access devices, side effects management). Using the highest level of communication and interpersonal skills and ensuring that the information is in an easily understood language.
• Demonstrate highly developed communication skills.
• Be skilled at providing reassurance and support.
• Be skilled at emphasising and communicating bad news with sensitivity.
• Be skilled in discussing difficult decisions for example terminating treatment and end-of-life issues.
• Identify the patient and carers coping mechanisms, being aware of individual strategies adopted. Encourage the individual to explore positive ways of coping accessing counselling and complementary therapy services as appropriate.
• Ensure that clinical and managerial records/documentation are maintained accurately and in accordance with current guidelines (written and computer data base records).
• Input and maintain accurate information about patient’s diagnosis and chemotherapy treatments onto Chemo Care.

Service Delivery and Improvement

• Contribute to the development of the profession within the Trust, participating in projects.
• Use the Patient First program to review and improve services
• Involvement in service improvements

-- Please see Job Description & Person Specs --