Detailed job description and main responsibilities

Responsibilities

 To provide clinical advice and support to staff as required and acting as patients’ advocate at all times. 

To support the DSM to monitor and evaluate clinical standards within the department ensuring that clinical practices are evidence based and benchmarked against best practice locally, regionally and nationally.

To ensure that all care programmes are accurately documented and that the standard of record keeping reflects the NMC and Trust guidelines for records and record keeping.

To liaise with the DSM and when required with the Continuity Matron, Head of Midwifery  and department operational managers to ensure lessons learnt from complaints and feedback inform relevant governance processes

To act as an autonomous practitioner

 In your role as an autonomous practitioner you will provide highly specialised advice and support to women with pre-existing diabetes, those who develop gestational diabetes their families and other health care professionals.

 You will be expected to address the needs of women from different ethnic minority groups, their families and carers with respect to advice, support and educational materials provided in a variety of formats to meet their needs

 To develop expert knowledge in the treatments used in pregnancy to advise and support women. This will be under the guidance of the DSM, diabetes specialist nurse (DSN) or endocrinologist

 To provide education and support to women and their families regarding the safe practice of administration of insulin when prescribed by a doctor or an independent prescriber

 To support diabetes clinics in line with Saving Babies Lives.  

 Perform ante natal checks and review ultrasound findings and discuss with the patient and obstetric/medical team as necessary.

 To review antenatal and postnatal women in hospital and be available via telephone contact for the purpose of assessment, stabilisation and continuing care

 To teach patients the skills necessary for home blood glucose monitoring and self-administration of insulin.

 Ability to perform assessments of patient needs and liaise with other members of the multi-disciplinary team where necessary.

  To ensure that midwifery practice is appropriate for each individual woman for whom care is provided

 Working independently and with other health care professionals in primary and secondary care you will be expected to plan and co-ordinate specialised programmes of care.

 You will be expected to plan and co-ordinate multi-disciplinary activities.

 To supervise, support, guide, assist in the development of and assess the competency of midwives and junior medical staff.

 To participate in the mentoring process with designated personnel as appropriate.

 To attend meetings as appropriate in  the absence of the DSM

 Work with and support the DSM to represent the role and specialist knowledge of the Diabetes Specialist Midwife on the clinical pathway group in the development of an integrated care pathway for diabetes.

 To assume responsibility for the safe custody and administration of drugs in accordance with the Trust Policies, Guidelines and Statutory Rules and Regulation

Management

 To develop good working relationships with other ward / departments / agencies within and outside the Trust, ensuring that all stakeholders understand, respect and recognise the Trusts philosophy and operational policies. 

To provide a visible, accessible and authoritative presence in the maternity unit to whom patients and their families can turn to for assistance, advice and support.

To effectively manage the diabetes caseload alongside the DSM

To provide effective direction and support to the midwives and clerical staff within the team by communication and role model example.

To co-ordinate patient activity in the Consultant diabetes antenatal clinic and midwife/nurse led clinics.

 To maintain effective channels of communication both within and external to the Trust

To investigate complaints, incidents and accidents within the team and assist in their resolution and dissemination of learning outcomes.

To monitor and work within allocated resources.

To attend in the absence of the DSM relevant meetings as requested.

To allocate and manage own time for supporting clinical work and managerial work when required

To take responsibility for midwifery cover of the department. 

Research and Service Development and Education

 To understand new health care related developments ensuring that midwifery practice is evidence based, cost effective and regularly benchmarked against best practice.

To understand all national initiatives and assist in the implementation in order to influence patient care and service delivery. 

 To be aware of and support local research projects as applicable

To work with the DSM to assist in the design, implementation and evaluation of structured education programmes to meet the needs of health care professionals working both within and outside the Trust.

To ensure and facilitate in meeting training needs of student midwives by providing a suitable learning environment and by engaging in clinical teaching where appropriate.

Professional

 To provide dynamic and visionary leadership, giving expert, professional advice, guidance and support to staff and service users.

 To challenge traditional boundaries and introduce new ways of working if applicable

 To maintain responsibility for personal and professional development of self, enhancing individual performance to deliver organisational objectives, maintain valid NMC registration and practise in accordance with NMC Guidance

  To observe the Rules and Code of Conduct according to the NMC

 To maintain effective communication and working relationships within the team     and between the team and other Health Care Professionals

 To actively foster strong links with other clinical areas and support agencies.

 Work as an independent practitioner within the multi-disciplinary team to promote the highest possible standards of care.

 To maintain clinical credibility and competence in midwifery care

 Provide emergency cover and at short notice for unexpected absence / sickness across the maternity service

Clinical Governance

To ensure that midwifery practice specific to diabetes is in keeping with current research by the development of an evidence-based culture and the implementation of research and evidence-based protocols and guidelines

To support the DSM to maintain, monitor and evaluate standards of care within the midwifery team and to assist in the implementation of recommendations from Government or Professional bodies in relation to maternity care specific to diabetes.

To participate in department, local and national audits specific to diabetes in pregnancy

To take an active role in the achievement and monitoring of quality standards as stated within Essence of Care

To ensure clinical incident reporting takes place and work with the DSM to facilitate changes to reduce risk

To implement clinical benchmarks as appropriate to the service