Job summary
- Main area
- Rheumatology
- Grade
- NHS AfC: Band 5
- Contract
- Secondment: 10 months (to cover maternity leave)
- Hours
- Full time - 37.5 hours per week
- Job ref
- 409-7255039
- Employer
- Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
- Employer type
- NHS
- Site
- St Helens Hospital
- Town
- St Helens
- Salary
- £29,970 - £36,483 Per Annum
- Salary period
- Yearly
- Closing
- 27/06/2025 23:59
- Interview date
- 16/07/2025
Employer heading
Staff Nurse - Rheumatology
NHS AfC: Band 5
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Job overview
Are you an enthusiastic Staff Nurse looking for a new challenge?
Applications are invited for the post of Rheumatology Staff Nurse within the award winning Rheumatology department at St Helens Hospital.
We are looking for an innovative nurse who would fit into this highly motivated team. You will be an experienced Band 5 nurse who wishes to develop as a Rheumatology Staff Nurse through a fully supported and structured training programme. No prior experience in Rheumatology is necessary.
The Rheumatology specialist nursing service works within a multi-disciplinary team providing holistic care for patients including Day Unit treatments, nurse-led clinics, disease and drug education sessions, advice via a telephone Advice line service, provision of a safe and effective blood monitoring service, and assisting in delivery of consultant led outpatient clinics.
This is an exciting opportunity for someone who wants to work in a genuinely multi-disciplinary team environment. The post is based within the Rheumatology Day Unit at St Helens Hospital and will include the day to day running of the day unit to include logistics, appointments, education and the administration of rheumatological therapies in line with NMC, National and Trust policies.
An Enhanced DBS Certificate, with the checking of both the Children’s and Adults’ Barred Lists is required for this post.
Main duties of the job
- Develop and extend scope of professional practice to include venepuncture, cannulation and the administration of rheumatological therapies in line with NMC, National and Trust policies.
- To undertake the day to day running of the day unit clinics including logistics, admissions and discharge, arranging appointments for treatments, infusions or education.
- To collect data required for the British Society of Rheumatology Register for these therapies.
- To co-ordinate the prescribing of these therapies, including requests for repeat prescriptions.
- Education of patients and carers
- To assist with the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health education MDT programmes for patients and carers with rheumatological conditions.
- To empower patients with rheumatological conditions to realise and maintain their potential in relation to health and wellbeing through one-to-one contacts and MDT education programmes by facilitating improved knowledge on disease management, medication and its effects on daily living.
DMARD therapy
To be a point of referral for patients commencing on disease modifying drug therapy, including education, consent, monitoring requirements.
To prevent adverse effects on health and wellbeing through education and monitoring of patients on DMARD therapy.
Working for our organisation
Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust serves a population of over 600,000 with a workforce of over 10,500 dedicated and skilled staff across 21 sites.
We strongly believe that the communities we serve should all have access to Five Star Patient Care.
Our services:
Acute Care
Providing emergency and maternity services at Whiston, Southport and Ormskirk hospitals, and medical and surgical specialties across all our sites.
Primary Care
Providing primary care services at Marshalls Cross Medical Centre situated in St Helens Hospital.
Community Services
Providing adult community services for St Helens and a wheelchair service in Chorley, South Ribble, and West Lancashire. Our inpatient unit at Newton Community Hospital is where patients needing acute hospital beds can continue rehabilitation. We also provide urgent care at our Urgent Treatment Centre located in St Helens town centre.
Specialist Regional Services
We provide the Mersey Regional Burns & Plastic Surgery Unit at Whiston Hospital and the Spinal Injuries Unit at Southport Hospital to more than 4 million people across the whole of Merseyside, West Lancashire, Cheshire, Isle of Man and North Wales.
Achievements:
- Rated Outstanding by CQC Inspection August 2018
- Top 100 places to work in the NHS (NHS Employers & Health Service Journal)
- National Preceptorship Accreditation (2023) for Nursing & AHP Preceptorship Programme
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
KEY DUTIES
- Develop and extend scope of professional practice to include venepuncture, cannulation and the administration of rheumatological therapies in line with NMC, National and Trust policies.
- To undertake the day to day running of the day unit clinics including logistics, admissions and discharge, arranging appointments for treatments, infusions or education.
- To collect data required for the British Society of Rheumatology Register for these therapies.
- To co-ordinate the prescribing of these therapies, including requests for repeat prescriptions.
- Education of patients and carers
- To assist with the planning, implementation, and evaluation of health education MDT programmes for patients and carers with rheumatological conditions.
- To empower patients with rheumatological conditions to realise and maintain their potential in relation to health and wellbeing through one-to-one contacts and MDT education programmes by facilitating improved knowledge on disease management, medication and its effects on daily living.
DMARD therapy
- To be a point of referral for patients commencing on disease modifying drug therapy, including education, consent, monitoring requirements.
- To prevent adverse effects on health and wellbeing through education and monitoring of patients on DMARD therapy.
CLINICAL & PROFESSIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES
Service Development & delivery
- Administration of intravenous, Intramuscular and subcutaneous treatments
- To be involved in planning, development, implementation and evaluation of rheumatology service.
- To ensure all treatments are within national guidelines or evidence-based practice where available aiming to improve standards and minimise clinical risk
- To participate in working parties developing policy change within department which impacts on all service users
- Adhere to departmental policies in use of equipment including ensuring competence of others through training and supervision of practice
- Assist in the development of policies and procedures within the rheumatology service
- To act as a catalyst for change, reviewing service and clinical provision through audit/research, identifying areas for development and implementing change
Professional Development
- To maintain own clinical professional development by keeping abreast of any new trends and developments and incorporating them as necessary into service delivery.
- To support junior staff with their professional development
- To participate in the staff appraisal scheme and personal development plan (PDP).
- To participate in the supervision scheme.
- To attend and contribute to local or national conferences in own field of expertise
- To be an active participant in enabling the department to maintain Customer Service Excellence status.
- To attend and take part in in-service training within the Rheumatology unit.
- To participate in the organisation and delivery of internal/external/national courses.
ADMINISTRATIVE RESPONSIBILITIES
- To ensure that all patient information is confidential and is not disclosed to a third party except with permission of the Nurse in charge.
- To keep patient records up to date on a day-to-day basis following any interaction with patients or relatives
- To ensure all unit documentation is completed.
- To assist with and carry out any input of data that is required for the departmental databases.
TEACHING & TRAINING RESPONSBILITIES
- To assist with induction programmes, preceptorship and mentorship of new staff as appropriate.
- Completion of the trust’s intravenous administration course
- To appropriately assist in the promotion of the learning environment. Participating in the supervision and assessment of Health Care Assistants, Student nurses and Cadets as appropriate.
- To participate in the in-service training programme, delivering presentations and training sessions at staff meetings, tutorials, training sessions in-house and externally, attending external courses and undertaking reflective practice.
- To be an active participant in enabling the department to maintain Customer Service Excellence status.
LINE MANAGEMENT/SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Participate in meetings pertinent to the unit
- Establish and maintain good communication within the unit, Division, Trust and agencies outside the trust.
- To consistently use resources efficiently
- To be actively involved in risk management and clinical audit programmes.
- To ensure safe custody of patients property.
- To report all accidents, hazards, incidents and complaints in accordance with Trust policies and assist in investigation of them as required.
- Comply with Health and Safety Policies.
FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
- Maintain efficiency and minimise any waste.
RESEARCH & AUDIT
- To participate in local audit/research projects relating to the use of Rheumatological therapies
- To collect data required for the British Society of Rheumatology Register for these therapies.
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria
- NMC Registered nurse - General
- Evidence of high level of post- qualification training and appropriate implementation of new learning.
- Willing to undertake internal and external training to develop the knowledge and skills required for further development of the role
- Undertaken Trust IV drug administration course and completed competencies
- Evidence of continuous professional development
Knowledge & Experience
Essential criteria
- Significant years post-qualification experience
- Knowledge of Rheumatology Conditions
- Competent with venepuncture and cannulation
- Experience of Teaching within clinical area
Desirable criteria
- Experience in Rheumatology
Skills
Essential criteria
- Ability and experience to apply high level of knowledge and skills in clinical settings
- Evidence of a high standard of performance in clinical area
- Excellent record of experience in training/teaching and supervising others (including therapy colleagues, medical/therapy/ nursing students, MDT members, patients/ carers)
- Evidence of self-initiated learning and its application within the workplace
- Evidence of continually updating knowledge through reflective practice and comprehensive CPD file
- Has grounded understanding of the psychological factors involved in illness
- Shows genuine empathy and understanding for patients, their families and carers (balanced with objectivity)
- Has a consistently high standard of written communication (treatment records, reports, letters etc)
- Has a high standard of electronic communication skills
- Able to negotiate using appropriate levels of assertiveness
Other
Essential criteria
- Professional manner at all times
- Has proven ability to act as a role model for other nurses and other professionals
- Practises in an anti-discriminatory manor
- Shows loyalty and commitment to Hospital Trust and speciality team
- Takes responsibility for own actions
- Is self-aware, able to initiate and manage self-change when necessary
- Is flexible and adaptable
- Seeks guidance when appropriate
- Has proven stability, remains calm under pressure
- Has excellent time management skills
- Able to prioritise and facilitate this in others
- Able to delegate appropriately and monitor progress
- Able to use initiative balanced with consultative approach
- Able to co-ordinate using a rational, logical approach
- Experience of project work including leadership
- Has evidence of an ability to maintain a positive outlook and encourage this in others
- Is creative, using lateral thinking and initiative
- Willing to work flexible hours
- Awareness of general professional issues
- Awareness of current NHS and Trust issues
- Able to cope in an emergency
Employer certification / accreditation badges
Applicant requirements
You must have appropriate UK professional registration.
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.
Documents to download
Further details / informal visits contact
- Name
- Clare Bennett
- Job title
- Rheumatology Lead nurse and Clinic Manager
- Email address
- [email protected]
- Telephone number
- 01744646456
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