Specialist Nurse (Bereavement) And Medical Examiner Officer

Job overview

An opportunity has arisen for a motivated and compassionate nurse to join the RWT Medical Examiner (ME) Service as a Specialist Nurse in Bereavement and Medical Examiner Officer. The role supports the independent scrutiny of deaths in hospital and community settings and contributes to a high-quality, person-centered service for the deceased and their families.

You will review patient records, support the death certification process and work closely alongside the ME.  A strong working knowledge of medical terminology is essential, along with relevant acute clinical experience.

The role involves preparing deceased patients for viewings within the mortuary (SWAN Suite) and providing sensitive support to bereaved families, including memory making and keepsakes where appropriate.

You will work collaboratively with Palliative Care, Mortuary and Bereavement Services, Coroners, Registrars, faith representatives and funeral services to ensure a coordinated and compassionate experience.

Ideally you will have experience in care after death within an acute hospital or in bereavement or palliative care settings and you will have strong clinical, organisational, IT, and communication skills.

This role offers the opportunity to play a key part in delivering specialist nursing care, supporting service development, and ensuring safe and effective delivery of a vital service that ensures transparency, learning and compassionate care.

Main duties of the job

• Support the Medical Examiner in the scrutiny of deaths and the death certification process, using sound clinical judgement
• Act as a key point of contact and source of advice for bereaved relatives, healthcare staff, coronial and registration services.
• Use clinical knowledge and medical terminology to facilitate informed discussions and decision-making.
• Provide bereaved families with clear explanations, transparency and opportunity to ask questions or raise concerns.
• Provide compassionate care after death, including preparation for viewings in the Swan Suite.
• Undertake sensitive, complex discussions with bereaved families regarding care provided, viewings and practical or financial concerns.
• Deliver education and training to staff on bereavement and care after death and provide guidance and emotional support to staff involved in end-of-life care and care after death.
• Offer ongoing, compassionate support to bereaved individuals, including guidance and signposting to appropriate support services.
• Gather and collate feedback from bereaved relatives to inform service improvement, evidence-based practice and support the Learning from Deaths Agenda.
• Act as a key contact for staff experiencing bereavement, providing emotional support and signposting to appropriate resources

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

To be professionally accountable for the delivery of standards of professional practice and behaviours as set by the Nursing & Midwifery Council.

To deliver compassionate person-centered care, and treat patients, service users, their families and their carers with consideration, dignity and the respect you would want for yourself or your family.

To promote public health and well-being.

To be accountable for :

Ensuring safe and effective clinical practice.

Enhancing the patient’s experience.

Ensuring effective contribution to the delivery of the organisation’s objectives.

Efficient and effective use of resources

To support the Lead Medical Examiner and Medical Examiners in their role in scrutinising the circumstances and causes of death. To be a point of contact and source of advice for relatives of deceased patients, healthcare professionals, coroner and registration services.

Ensure a high standard of safe clinical care and record keeping in accordance with Nursing and Midwifery Council, national legislation and local standards.

Take personal responsibility for actions and omissions, and fully recognise personal accountability.

Practice within an ethical framework based upon dignity and respect for the well-being and safety of patients and clients.

Act as a change agent, developing clinically effective practice through the effective utilisation and integration of evidence-based practice within own work area.

Contribute to the development and implementation of evidence-based protocols, standards, policies and clinical guidelines within own work area.

Ensure a culture of continuous quality improvement through the use of audit, patient feedback and reflection on practice by self and other members of the team.

Promote a clean and safe environment for staff, patients and visitors by ensuring compliance with legislation, policies and protocols including health and safety, healthcare associated infection prevention, clinical governance, including risk management and critical incident reporting and root cause analysis.

Demonstrate effective communication within the multi-professional team regarding patient care.

Undertake interventional procedures with appropriate consent

Assess the risks involved in the care of patients and ensure utilisation of practices and protocols to minimise those risks, including safe use of medical devices.

Report incidents and near misses promptly and appropriately and take effective action to minimise future risk.

Provide specialist advice to own and other professions on therapeutic interventions and clinical practice.

Implement practices that are appropriate to patient and service need through in-depth knowledge, implications of and applying epidemiological, demographic, social, political and professional trends and developments.

Participate in peer review of own practice.

Lead by example, develop self and other staff, and influence the way care is given in a manner that is innovative, open and responds to individual needs.

Provide clinical supervision to other staff.

Work harmoniously and effectively with colleagues, patients and clients and their carers, families and friends, seeking advice from senior practitioners as necessary.

Practice within the scope of personal professional competence and extend this scope as appropriate to service needs.

Delegate aspects of care to others and accept responsibility and accountability for such delegation.

Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification for further details.