Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Clinical:
1.    Paediatric Intensive Care

The roster generally includes two registrars on each day shift, one or two on the night shift. 
The main clinical duties are undertaken under the supervision of a consultant and include: 

•    Attendance at and contribution to daily ward rounds/handovers
•    Assessment, admission and management of critically ill children
•    Lead resuscitations and emergency care
•    Post-operative management of neurosurgical, orthopaedic, ENT, general surgical patients, bone marrow and kidney transplant recipients

Increased responsibility and autonomy will be granted to more experienced trainees as they progress.

2.    North East Children’s Transport and Retrieval (NECTAR) 

This post will involve participation in the NECTAR rota in and out of hours, again with increasing responsibility and autonomy as experience is gained.

Research:
The appointee will be encouraged to participate in ongoing clinical studies and research projects under the supervision of the consultants in intensive care.

Teaching:
The post offers comprehensive training in paediatric intensive care including resuscitation, stabilisation and transport of the critically ill child.

Trainees are assigned to a Clinical Supervisor during their employment who will ensure that the training they receive wherever possible will cater to their individual requirements.

There are formal teaching sessions as well as informal bedside teaching when on clinical service. Teaching sessions include clinical presentations, technical sessions, journal clubs and simulation training. We take advantage of remote technology to deliver this programme wherever possible. Trainees are encouraged to participate in and contribute to these sessions.

Freeman Cardiac PICU 6 months:
Job Purpose: 
 
These posts provide unparalleled training in all aspects of Paediatric Cardiac Intensive Care including cardiac transplantation, ECMO, heart failure and mechanical support. The post holder will receive training equivalent to those trainees who are in posts recognised by Paediatric Intensive Care Medicine Intercollegiate Specialty Advisory Committee (PICM ISAC; previously ICTPICM) and the Royal College for Paediatrics and Child Health.  Applicant who require approval by PICM ISAC are advised to seek prospective approval for the post.  This is not a PICM GRID training post.     
 
Duties and Responsibilities: 
 
With full consultant supervision and support, the post holder is responsible for patients on a 12 bedded quaternary paediatric cardiac intensive care unit based at the Freeman Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.   The patients, aged from neonatal to late adolescence, are primarily cardiac with over 350 cases per year.  We are one of the 6 UK respiratory ECMO centres and one of the 2 UK paediatric cardiopulmonary transplant centres. We have the second biggest paediatric VAD programme in the world, using Berlin Heart.   
There is an active research programme with specific interests in mechanical support as a bridge to transplant, infant respiratory failure and coagulation management.  

The post is suitable for PICU trainees who want to further their cardiac intensive care experience in preparation for GRID application. It is also suitable for anaesthetists who already have experience in either adult cardiothoracic intensive care or in paediatric anaesthesia.   
 
On-call Commitments: 
The rota is worked as a 48 hour week full shift system. It is a hybrid 9 person rota incorporating trainees from paediatric cardiac anaesthesia, paediatric intensive care and 4 advanced critical care practitioners.  The paediatric cardiology ward is covered by resident SHO with a paediatric cardiology registrar.  Regarding paediatric cardiology, the role of the PICU trainee is for emergency patient review/HDU support.   
 
Education:

The post holder is released to attend monthly PICU teaching days and as far as possible will be encouraged and supported to attend national/international meetings as fits educational needs.  There are numerous regular departmental educational meetings and training opportunities.