Ward Manager- Care of Older People - London, United Kingdom - Whittington Hospital NHS Trust

Description

Job summary

The post holder has overall responsibility for the management of the Care of Older People Ward. The post holder will have direct line management responsibility for the nursing team. The post holder will liaise closely with medical staff, the multi professional team and nursing colleagues to provide a holistic service responsive to the needs of patients and their families.

The Care of Older People (COOP) Ward comprises a 25-bedded unit located in the main hospital, on the 6th floor adjacent to the two other 25 bedded Care of Older People Wards.

The department for the care of older people is a progressive and forward-looking department that is striving to provide the best possible care for the older patient. We enable older patients to live longer, healthier, and independent lives through multi-disciplinary comprehensive geriatric assessment. Care of the older patient services are based on Level 6 of the Whittington Hospital on Meyrick, Cloudesley and Cavell wards. We provide liaison services on the orthopaedic and surgical wards and have an established acute frailty service for patients attending accident and emergency, to facilitate early assessment and discharge of the frail older person. The Department works closely with Whittington Health community staff, engages community services and voluntary organisations to join up care between the acute and community setting. We provide input into MDT teleconferences in both Islington and Haringey with GP's and community teams.

Main duties of the job

MAIN DUTIES

1. Professional Responsibilities

To work according to the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and to carry continuing responsibility for:

The assessment of care and health education needs for patients and their families.

The implementation and evaluation of nursing care for adults on the COOP Ward

To present and act at all times in a professional manner in line with our ICARE Values and ensure that all staff working within the Ward do likewise.

To maintain clinical competence, to keep abreast of current trends and to take responsibility for own professional development.

To ensure and facilitate effective communication, within the Ward and wider ICSUs.

In conjunction with the Practice Development Nurse supervise clinical practice, identify development needs of staff and participate in continuous in-service training for all grades of staff.

To work in conjunction with other senior nurses, the Practice Development Nurse and the Matron to develop and implement nursing practices, promoting research and evidence-based practice.

About us

Whittington Health serves a richly diverse population and works hard to ensure that all our services are fair and equally accessible to everyone. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the way we look after our staff. We aim to employ a workforce which is as representative as possible of this population, so we are open to the value of differences in age, disability, gender, marital status, pregnancy and maternity, race, sexual orientation, and religion or belief. The Trust believes that as a public sector organisation we have an obligation to have recruitment, training, promotion and other formal employment policies and procedures that are sensitive to these differences. We think that by doing so, we are better able to treat our patients as well as being a better place to work.

Job responsibilities

MAIN DUTIES

1. Professional Responsibilities

To work according to the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and to carry continuing responsibility for:

The assessment of care and health education needs for patients and their families.

The implementation and evaluation of nursing care for adults on the COOP Ward

To present and act at all times in a professional manner in line with our ICARE Values and ensure that all staff working within the Ward do likewise.

To maintain clinical competence, to keep abreast of current trends and to take responsibility for own professional development.

To ensure and facilitate effective communication, within the Ward and wider ICSUs.

In conjunction with the Practice Development Nurse supervise clinical practice, identify development needs of staff and participate in continuous in-service training for all grades of staff.

To work in conjunction with other senior nurses, the Practice Development Nurse and the Matron to develop and implement nursing practices, promoting research and evidence-based practice.

To ensure the service reflects local and national recommendations/individual/ethnic/cultural/social and religious need

To ensure robust standards and frameworks are in place, in line with current recommendations, to ensure patients always receive high-quality person-centred care.

To provide clinical leadership for nursing staff.

Have direct line management responsibility for staff and services within the designated area, ensuring that professional standards/safe levels of care are maintained and to deploy staff as appropriate.

To develop, promote and facilitate the implementation of the Whittington Hospital NHS Trust Nursing and Midwifery strategy.

To initiate, develop and implement plans/strategies for improvement of medical services in conjunction with the multi-disciplinary teams.

To promote close collaboration and cohesive working relationships within the multi-disciplinary team, through effective communication channels and a harmonious working environment.

To advise the Matron and Head of Nursing on the appropriate level of skill mix and resources required for the designated area.

To ensure effective use of resources within the delegated budget, including appropriate ordering of medical supplies for the department and requesting and authorising temporary staff time sheets.

To participate in the recruitment, selection, and induction processes for staff.

To monitor staff performance, implementing corrective action when required. Undertake appraisal for staff within area of responsibility; agree staff and service objectives and development plans.

To keep accurate records of staff attendance and monitor sickness, taking supportive action where necessary using Bradford Scores and utilisation of Absence & Sickness Policies / HR Advisors.

To identify and implement necessary changes to meet the needs of patients and their families and the service.

Participate in and initiate audit, quality initiatives and projects as required to develop the overall service.

Ensure risk management strategies are implemented within area of responsibility and that staff understand and enact the incident reporting procedures.

Be proactive in implementing action/learning plans to reduce potential risks or recurrence of adverse incidents.

Be proactive in minimising complaints within the department seeking to provide local resolution wherever possible. Undertake investigations for formal complaints and prepare response for Matron or General Manager. Provide feedback to staff on complaints and develop strategies to prevent recurrence.

To ensure staff are familiar with national, professional, and local quality issues relevant to the delivery of services.

The post holder will be expected to regularly co-ordinate the ward, to support junior nurses co-ordinating the ward.

The post holder will have a hands on approach to assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating nursing care.

The post holder will act as a clinical resource for the ward team.

The post holder will encourage and promote the use of evidence based clinical nursing practice. To develop and implement nursing/ multi-professional evidence based/best practice guidelines and policies.

The post holder will effectively communicate, on a daily basis, with patients and their relatives and ensure they are familiar with nursing medical goals and also the multi-disciplinary team.

The post holder will ensure that health education issues are addressed with patients, their relatives and staff.

The post holder will be actively involved in the promotion of written standards of care, their subsequent audit and on-going development.

The post holder will continue to develop their cannulation and venepuncture skills in line with Trust guidelines.

The post holder will maintain a flexible approach to working hours in order to meet the needs of the service; this may include some night duty.

The post holder will ensure that systems operate that facilitate the safe and effective discharge of patients. Help maintain flow through the emergency department and in patient areas by co-ordinating safe and timely discharges, involving families and community services where necessary.

Maintain professional accountability at all times, including the planning, delivery and evaluation of care.

To order and interpret agreed diagnostic tests according to departmental protocols and within structured guidelines of the Unit blood, urine, stools

Co-ordinate the smooth day-to-day running of the ward.

Explore and investigate new initiatives for the improvement of service delivery.

Maintain nursing records in accordance to NMC guidelines.

To be competent in the use of computerised systems employed in the hospital Datix, Healthroster, e-procurement, Anglia Ice etc.

Provide in depth knowledge and understanding of safeguarding adults procedures. Acting as a resource to other members of the team where appropriate.

The post holder will acquire new skills and knowledge to enable new management systems to work , computer skills, budget management.

To support the Practice Development Nurse in providing an effective learning environment and appropriate staff development for students and trained staff.

To ensure an effective learning environment for staff, learners and parents acting as facilitator in the supervision and teaching of staff.

Ensure that staff are educated in new skills and procedures. Appropriately developed in line with the NMC to meet service needs.

The post holder will act as a mentor to all staff and as a preceptor to newly qualified staff.

To ensure that all new staff receive an orientation programme, in accordance with the Trusts policy.

To support the Practice Development Nurse in working in partnership with local higher education institutions to establish and develop relevant education programmes for pre/post registration students.

To contribute to audit, research and development programmes within the Directorate in order to promote good practice.

Set and monitor measurable standards of care and be accountable for maintaining standards.

Develop the audit process for monitoring and reviewing the quality of nursing services provided.

Implement changes to the service in order to improve quality of care.

Education /qualification

Essential

Desirable

Skills

Essential

Desirable

Knowledge

Essential

Desirable