Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Key Responsibilities

• The post Holder will act as a team leader responsible for providing effective Endoscopy Services
• Assist in policy implementation and development of the service.
• The post holder will manage a team of nurses and health care assistants, working collaboratively to, and be accountable for the delivery of a high standard of patient care.
• Working with the team of Nurses and health care assistants and meeting them on a regular basis.
• The post holder will create an environment that promotes excellence in nursing practice and empowers staff to develop high levels of clinical skill and allows staff to develop to their full potential.
• Ensuring maintenance of professional competence to practice safely and competently.
• Acting as the patient’s advocate supporting them to navigate and make informed choices at all stages
• Responsible for training, mentorship and appraisals of junior staff.
• Assisting and contributing to quality assurance activities.
• The post holder will deputise in the day to day management of the unit in the absence of the Band 7 sisters.
• Supporting the senior endoscopy team in the development of the endoscopy service.
• Ensuring that patient data are collected to meet National and local trust requirements.
• Assist & support with the on-going audits & research of the Unit.

Working relationships and communication requirements of your job

• Daily to communicate with nursing staff, doctors, technicians and other members of the multidisciplinary team, patients and their relatives face to face, on the telephone and by electronic means to inform and discuss complex issues to ensure that patients receive optimum care;
• Communicate daily face to face and on telephone with administration and clerical staff, and ward staff to ensure continuity of patient care
• Communicate with other organizations in relation to being a centre for excellence for colo-rectal investigations and treatment;
• Act as advocate for the patient
• Establish and maintain communication with individuals and groups about difficult or complex matters, overcoming any problems in communication
• Accept responsibility: be aware and able to locate all policies and protocols relating to good working practices within the clinical area and able to adhere to both self and colleagues, and to challenge staff about their location
• Attend meetings relevant to the endoscopy unit and disseminate information via regular staff meetings.
• Recognize the legal implications of nursing documentation therefore maintaining accurate records;
• Maintain accurate and legible records of patient care in line with the trust policies and NMC code of conduct

Level of clinical responsibility

• To act as a team leader supporting a group of nurses to ensure the highest standards of care are maintained.
• Act as a team leader to ensure that staffs are taught how to use and maintain highly specialized, technical and expensive endoscopy equipment
• Be responsible for patients in the endoscopy Department, delegating aspects of care to staff with the required competencies to undertake the required functions
• To ensure a high standard of care is maintained by initiating and coordinating the assessment, Intra procedure care and evaluation of individual patient needs from admission to discharge.
• Ensure agreed standards are met and participate in the evaluation and review of standards developed in the Endoscopy Unit.
• Promote health education within the clinical area and be able to advise the patient and their relatives and others in health promotion issues.
• Liaise, report and document any relevant nursing/patient needs with other health professional with ongoing responsibility for patient care.
• Maintain standards of cleanliness in the Endoscopy Unit.
• Recognize and respond appropriately to urgent and emergency situations.
• Take responsibility for keeping up to date with advanced endoscopy skills and be able to teach junior staff

Leadership and staff management responsibility

• Take charge of the Endoscopy Department in the absence of the band 7 sister. Represent the senior sister on nominated Directorate/Trust working groups.
• Daily be responsible for and lead a team of nurses to manage the endoscopy unit
• Be responsible for the management of emergency cases, organizing patients to be transported from the main hospital wards and put on to appropriate lists for the management of their investigations
• To demonstrate professional leadership and act as a role model
• To participate in the recruitment of new staff.
• To ensure all staff reach their full potential by enabling them to develop professional, clinical, managerial and communication skills, which will be identified through the use of appraisal.
• Effective mentorship
• Teaching staff to understand and accept their responsibilities.
• Assist in teaching other health professionals on workshops and international training days
• Contribute significantly towards ward or clinical projects, standard setting, audits and quality monitoring
• Actively encourage good practice and personal development. Contribute to an active learning environment for all grades of staff and students
• Respond to both verbal and written complaints in line with trust policy
• Contribute significantly towards ward or clinical projects, standard setting, audits and quality monitoring.
• Respond to both verbal and written complaints in line with Trust Policy
• Report and manage untoward incidents such as complaints, clinical emergencies, and injury or drug administration errors as per Trust policies/procedures

Financial Responsibility

• Be aware of the budgetary implications when prescribing and implementing care and treatments.
• Assist the senior sister in ensuring that resources are managed efficiently, effectively and economically.
• Be responsible for the procurement, care and maintenance of all physical assets, including specialist equipment and supplies for the clinical area.
• Contribute towards effectively monitoring/managing episodes of sickness and absence.
• Assist in the organization of endoscopic trials and international days and workshops.
• Be responsible for ensuring the safe keeping of patient property in line with the Trust policy.
  • Contribute to cost improvement programmes.
  • Plan and review the duty rosters

Service Development and Improvements

• Participate in maintaining and developing nursing standards within the endoscopy department.
• Keep up to date with professional issues relevant to nursing practice within their area of clinical practice, management education and research.
• Openly question and challenge nursing practice in a constructive way so that standards of patient care are continually evaluated and improved, embrace new ideas and make changes for the benefit of patient care.
• Negotiate an area of clinical interest with senior sister and be proactive in developing own expertise and learning resources for all staff. Act as clinical resource within the ward team.
• Act as an assessor/mentor to students and colleagues, devising induction programmes, guiding practice, assessing competence, enabling and supporting their learning.
• Continually monitor standards of care and contribute to improvement of care through audit and research.
• To be aware of objectives and strategies at Local and Government level.
• Submit new ideas/innovations aimed at improving patient care.

Responsibility for dealing with difficult situations

• Set and maintain standards of practice conduct decision making in conjunction with the nursing team/ward manager and challenge those who do not follow or meet the standards ensuring corrective action is taken when necessary, being clear about reporting mechanisms.
• The ability to adapt to an environment that is routine as well as unpredictable
• Support patients and their carers in the giving and receiving of significant news and when dealing with difficult situations.
• Promote evidence-based decision-making.
• Recognize areas of conflict and assist in the management of this to promote a healthy working environment.
• Support peoples equality, diversity and rights.

The post holder is expected to support, and where appropriate, council junior members of staff.