Trainee Plaster Room Practitioner

Job overview

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated person, with previous clinical experience in a healthcare setting and excellent verbal and written communication skills to join our department as an Orthopaedic Practitioner or a Trainee.

If you are a trainee, the successful applicant will join the team as a Band 3 Plaster Room Assistant – supported by the team to develop their work-based competency and training alongside the established plaster room practitioners.

The trainee would then be required to complete their national casting qualification (British Casting Certificate) for which funding and study leave will be available. Upon successful completion of the course the post holder will then become a qualified Plaster Room Practitioner at Band 4.

The Plaster Room team work closely with the Accident and Emergency Department, Warrington Fracture Clinic and Orthopaedic services; Ward based patients; Orthotic services and the Warrington Diabetic Foot Clinic and pathway.

If you are interested or have any further questions, please email:

paul.crowley1@nhs.net or anne.harrison10@nhs.net or call 01925 662442

Main duties of the job

To work as a B4 trained practitioner or Band 3 (training up to B4) plaster technician within the Plaster Room at Warrington General Hospital.

Initially this will be a training post where the post holder will learn both within the clinical setting and through the completion of the BCC (British Casting Course). Funding and study leave will be available to support this training position.

On successful completion of the B4 competencies and the BCC the post holder will gain their B4 role and will be able to demonstrate high standards of casting and plastering techniques and provide technical support and advice to the Trauma & Orthopaedic Team in a number of clinical areas e.g. Plaster Room, fracture/orthopaedic clinic, wards and theatres.

To support the Plaster Room Supervisor and OT Team manager in the development of the Plaster room service.

To support the team and promote positive team behaviour within a pressured environment.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Principal Responsibilities:

Patient/Clinical Care

• To learn to analyse and make judgements, through clinical reasoning, on the type of casts/splints to suit each individual patient and to modify them to suit unusual presenting conditions or when the patient experience’s problems with the cast.
• To learn to provide advice to the Orthopaedic Consultant Team regarding the advantages and disadvantages of various plastering and casting materials available.
• To learn to apply a range of appropriate casting materials, splints and appliances – initially under the supervision and guidance of the established plaster room team, as indicated by the referrer. To learn how to use dexterous and manipulative skills to ensure correct positioning of the fracture during the application of casting materials.
• To assist the qualified plaster room practitioners in their workload, which will form part of the learning process – learning to assess the patient’s understanding of treatment proposals, gain consent and work within codes of practice and professional guidelines.

Communication and Relationships

• To communicate effectively with patients, carers and relatives, often in distressing circumstances e.g. applying casts to patients with broken limbs and children in pain.
• To work as a member of a multi-disciplinary team, forming and sustaining professional relationships.
• To be able to reassure and persuade patients to undertake the necessary treatment programme.
• To learn how to monitor patient progress, recognise when adjustments to clinical intervention is necessary and act accordingly, in liaison, with the referring consultant.
• To learn how to report effectively in both written and oral formats, both in the therapy and orthopaedic consultant team on the patient’s performance and progress.
• To deal with upset patients and their relatives in a tactful and supportive way.
• Support the Plaster Room Supervisor (and Team Manager) to develop a robust and positive team culture in a pressured environment.

Management Responsibilities

• Participate fully in the plaster room’s provision of optimum patient experience – with low waiting times and high standards of cleanliness.
• Participate in the plaster room’s regular training and supervision.

Governance

• To contribute to the ongoing improvement and modernisation of the service through participation in audit and evaluation activities.
• To work to local policies, procedures and guidelines, providing necessary contribution as requested.
• To maintain and develop knowledge of the current trends and practices for the castings and orthotics through participation in training programmes, clinical supervision and peer review.
• To review and reflect on your own practice, through participation in staff appraisal, and the development of a continual professional development portfolio.

Applicant requirements

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.