Sister/ Charge Nurse

Job overview

We are looking to recruit a Sister to the team on 7A. We have a secondment available at 37.5 hours per week until 29/08/2027.

The post holder will provide the daily clinical and managerial nursing leadership for a defined clinical area.  The role will be responsible for ensuring that standards of care are upheld at all times.  The post holder will be responsible for ensuring they and their team uphold Trust values and those of their profession.

The individual will be visible and accessible to patients and their families and staff ensuring all patients and their families have the opportunity to seek information, help and support or to communicate problematic or celebratory issues.

The successful applicant will join a dynamic team of enthusiastic healthcare professionals on the regional acute neurosurgical ward. The post gives the opportunity for career development, the development of specialist neurosurgical care management skills, and the management and support of complex patients.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will provide the daily clinical and managerial nursing/midwifery leadership for a defined clinical area.  Will be responsible for ensuring that standards of care are upheld at all times.  Working with the Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse, they will take responsibility for providing effective clinical leadership and accountability for the nursing/midwifery service.  Will be responsible for ensuring that they and their team act in a manner that upholds the values of the Trust and those of the profession.  Working in collaboration with the Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse and Speciality team the individual will be expected to:

Day to day manage of a team of staff working within designated clinical area.

• Work closely with SWS/Charge Nurse to ensure the efficient and effective running of area of responsibility.
• Have overall responsibility for ensuring their clinical area is safe during each shift.
• Deputise for the Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse and form part of the speciality senior nursing team. Contribute to the development of patient-centred services.
• Contribute to the successful attainment of Trust and national quality and safety objectives.
• Provide specialist clinical advice and care within designated area of responsibility.
• The individual will be visible and accessible to patients and their families and staff, ensuring all patients and their families have the opportunity to seek information, help and support or to communicate problematic  issues.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Patient Care

• Ensure the safe storage and administration of intravenous and oral drugs/medication and fluids in accordance with Trust policies.
• Undertake the full range of extended/advanced clinical skills (relevant to clinical area) and supervise/assess others.
• Implement privacy and dignity standards within own sphere of responsibility.
• Respect individuals’ dignity, wishes and beliefs, involving them in shared decision-making with consideration for the vulnerable patient, learning disabilities and child protection issues.
• Be able to confidently complete the required documentation pertaining to:

• Take personal responsibility for the nursing care of patients within designated clinical area.
• Ensure that care needs are assessed and programmes of care are developed, implemented, evaluated and documented contemporaneously for caseload of patients in clinical area.
• Plan, allocate, supervise and evaluate working practices of the team on a day to day basis.  Provide professional advice and support to team members so that they are able to assume responsibility to carry out delegated duties.
• Take responsibility for the timely, effective and safe discharge of patients.  Lead on planning proves and ensure individual plans are in place accordingly to individual patient or family needs.
• For your area, be responsible for implementation and delivery of nutritional and fluid standards including protected meal times.
• Review the effectiveness of treatments and make any necessary modifications, reporting to senior colleagues/medical staff as necessary.

Ø    DoLs procedure

Ø    Referral to Social Service

Ø    Mental Capacity

Ø    Mental Health Act

Ø    Safeguarding referrals

On identification of concerns, raise through the appropriate line management structures, if necessary, referring to the Trust’s Whistle-blowing procedure.

• Act as advocate for staff/patients in internal and external forums, constructively challenging clinical teams as appropriate.
• Facilitate and maintain clinical competence skills of self and others in day to day working practices
• On a shift by shift basis, be responsible for minimising the risks of infections and for the implementation of the relevant code of Practice for prevention and control of health care
• Report to Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse any issues regarding capacity or skill

Communication and Information

• Maintain effective communication of patient and other essential information with the internal/external members of the multi-disciplinary team
• Be able to communicate difficult, sometimes complex and emotive information e.g. breaking bad news etc.) effectively and, when appropriate, support and coach junior staff in doing the same.
• Communicate effectively via verbal, written and electronic routes and maintain robust processes to ensure the cascade of information to the team and the engagement of team members with Trust plans and objectives
• Accountable for self and team members for accurate and legible record keeping in accordance with local policies and NMC guidelines within own practice and sphere of responsibility

Supervisory and Management Responsibilities

• Take charge of defined clinical areas on a daily basis.
• Assist Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse and support cascade of information and key messages to team in a timely manner.
• Adhere to the Trust’s complaints PALS procedures with regard to written and verbal complaints and escalating cases to Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse or higher when required.  Where necessary, develop remedial action plans for designated clinical area and evidence the implementation of action plans.
• On a daily basis allocate workload and, where appropriate, delegate responsibilities amongst the team.
• Working with the Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse, be responsible for the effective use of e-rostering to ensure optimum skill mix for the acuity of patients.  Support the Supervisory Sister in identifying staffing projections for the forthcoming 6 and 12 month periods.
• Accountable for the monitoring and initial management of sick absence for own immediate team and escalating cases as appropriate in accordance with Trust policy.
• For designated area tackle poor performance and standards of behaviour and, where necessary, initiate ad-hoc meetings for staff to discuss performance.  Matters to be escalated to Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse when necessary.
• Ensure all staff in their area work to the Professional Code of Conduct and/or Trust standards.
• Act as directorate/service/clinical representative at meetings in the absence of Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse or Matron.
• Where necessary, instigate the relevant HR processes to deal with any breaches e.g. Equality and Diversity, Bullying and Harassment etc.
• Ensure all Annual Development Reviews (ADRs) and Personal Development Plans are completed annually for staff within reporting chain.
• Assist with the interview, selection and recruitment process for staff for their own designated areas and wider when requested by Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse or Matron.
• As a shift co-ordinator, have responsibility for health and safety within own sphere of responsibility (e.g. fire, COSHH, violence and aggression, mental capacity act etc.), leading by example ensuring a working culture for the team which is conducive to good health, safety and security practices.
• Report all accidents and/or untoward incidences as per NBT’s clinical risk management procedure.
• Contribute to security of working environment and orders.
• Ensure the safe handling and storage of patients’ valuables and property.
• Act as an ambassador for the area of responsibility and contribute to wider directorate and Trust objectives and continuous improvement opportunities.
• Be responsible for the supervision and checking of specialist equipment on a shift to shift basis.

Financial Responsibilities

• In collaboration with Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse, manage staffing levels for designated area across 24 hour day according to patient dependency/acuity, including forward planning for public holidays etc.
• Monitor and report to Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse any issues regarding capacity or skill mix.
• Assist the Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse to maintain efficient control of the ward/department budget.
• Be an authorising signatory for area of responsibility to order resources and authorise financial payments, linking with e-rostering.
• Formulate action plans for own designated area to overcome deviations within agreed budget for both pay and non-pay for approval by Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse.

Education, Training and Development

• Manage the training and further development for staff working in designated area for their assessment and continual professional development.
• Assist staff to develop action plans for their own personal learning and development.
• Guide and coach junior staff assigned to area to develop and strengthen leadership skills to meet 24 hour accountability of sister role.
• Contribute to the facilitation of a suitable educational environment in which to support the development of learning of team members and students on placement.
• Participate in the teaching and supervision of the clinical team including trainee nurses/midwives and others under training who are allocated to the ward.
• Have personal responsibility for own attendance at mandatory and statutory training.
• Maintain own portfolio and record of continuing improvement.

Service Improvement/Research and Development

• Take the lead for delivery and embedding the productive ward programme for own designated clinical area.
• As part of the productive ward programme, ensure activity measures for designated area and other appropriate data is used to inform future project activity.
• Assist the Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse with the implementation of any local service programmes and to ensure they are consistent with Trust objectives (Big 5) and any other quality indicators/targets.
• Assist with the promotion of local, Trust and national targets and quality indicators for designated area.  Promote and lead on the spread of good practice amongst team members.
• As delegated, be responsible for the effective collection and interpretation of saving lives audit data and, when necessary, take corrective actions for area to ensure Trust standards are met.

Freedom to Act

• Work and undertake duties as delegated by Supervisory Sister/Charge Nurse.
• Be responsible for patient care provided on a daily basis for designated area.
• Work at all times within speciality, directorate and Trust guidelines, policies and procedures.

• Supervise work carried out by other team members.