Nurse Practitioner – Assisted Conception Unit Job Vacancy in South Tyneside, England, UK

Job description

Job responsibilities

1. General Information

JOB TITLE: Nurse Practitioner

GRADE: Band 7

HOURS: 37.5

RESPONSIBLE TO: Matron Assisted Conception

ACCOUNTABLE TO: Head of Nursing and Midwifery

RESPONSIBLE FOR: Responsible for the efficient day to day running of the Assisted Conception Unit, and for supervising junior staff and learners who attend the unit and manage the unit the absence of the Lead Nurse.(Matron)

1. Job Summary

The post-holder will be one of a group of specialist nurses working in the sub fertility unit/Assisted Conception Unit where treatments offered range from ovulation induction and donor insemination to assisted conception techniques. These include in Vitro Fertilisation, Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection, Pre Implantation Genetic Diagnosis, Egg donation and Percutaneous Sperm Aspiration.

• Will be responsible for the efficient day to day running of the assisted conception unit, and for supervising junior staff and learners who attend the unit
• Will be involved in all aspects of treatment to meet the individual needs of the clients.
• The post holder will be expected to manage the unit in the absence of the lead nurse.

1. Key Relationships

Matron, Clinical Director, Head of nursing and midwifery, Service General Manager, Service Delivery Manager, Consultants and Junior Medical Staff, Nursing Staff, Clinical Nurse Specialists, Allied Health Professionals, Administrative and Clerical Support Staff, Professional and Technical staff.

1. Duties and Responsibilities

• To assist in the coordination of all the activities in the sub fertility unit. This will include the running of clinics and the management of clients at every stage of their treatment including surgical procedures.
• To develop a therapeutic environment that meets the needs of the clients.
• To support clients through the entire care episode.
• To create and maintain positive relationships within the hospital and community team.
• In collaboration with the senior team members to assist in the assessment of the needs of each client and to initiate the appropriate treatment protocols.
• Participate in audit of clinical activities within the gynaecology unit for the Trust and for the licensing body, the HFEA.

Responsibilities:

Management and Leadership

• To ensure good communication with all members of the multidisciplinary team and clients, including maintenance and circulation of the diary of future cases.
• To assist the Medical Team in interviewing, examining, and advising potential subfertile couples.
• To be responsible for the scheduling the patients treatment cycle; liaising with the community GPs to arrange drug prescription and their administration.
• To supervise, advice and assess junior members of staff in all areas of care.
• To liaise with all areas of the gynaecology unit to promote a uniform approach to fertility management.
• To ensure all complaints and grievances are dealt with competently and effectively via the Trust complaints procedure
• To present information to couples about to embark on In Vitro Fertilisation treatment at periodic information evenings.
• To help to maintain the clinical area so that it is safe, interesting and welcoming for patients, staff and visitors.
• To supervise the ordering of supplies (sterile and disposable) as required, both from within the hospital and from external suppliers.
• To supervise the maintenance of the pharmacy drug stores including controlling drugs.
• To help promote the services to users and purchases.
• To participate in Womens Services sub groups.
• To participate in risk management and maintenance of health and safety within the department, according to Trust Policy

Professional / Clinical responsibilities

• To assist in the management and counselling and support of sub fertile patients before, during and after treatment cycles.
• Actively participate in all consultations with clinician, and prepare patients for treatment. Provide all relevant information including treatment schedules and any participation in research projects
• Ensure final case discussions take place with the clinical team prior to treatment commencing
• To assist in the monitoring of progress made during the superovulation stimulation cycle by performing venepuncture for blood hormone assays and ultra sound scans.
• To administer intramuscular or subcutaneous injections where necessary and immediately prior to egg retrieval, to set up intravenous access.
• To perform vaginal and abdominal ultrasound scans in order to:
• Interpretation of scans for egg retrieval

(b) Assess follicular growth in stimulated and natural cycles.

(c) To aid in the diagnostic of pregnancy and its early development up to 8 weeks gestation

(d) To aid as a diagnostic measure before, during and after treatment.

• To advise and counsel the male patients concerning the production of a semen sample.
• To understand the result of a semen analysis in order to discuss it with the male partner.
• To keep accurate records for each patient of all communication and clinical activity relevant to his/her treatment.
• To help with the production of written information to meet the changing expectation/needs of clients.
• To supervise and help collate all data resulting from the procedures and transfer this to the records on the computer and into the patients notes to satisfy HFEA regulations.
• To ensure that all details of each patients completed treatment cycle and subsequent relevant information is sent to the Licensing Authority.
• To promote the highest standards of cleanliness and sterility of all equipment used in the IVF ultrasound guided egg retrieval, embryo transfer and intra uterine insemination procedures.
• To supervise and assist in the preparation and care of the patient and her partner before, during and after above procedures.
• To actively participate in producing and reviewing evidence based patient information

Education & Professional Development .

• To assist in the teaching, supervision and assessment of junior nursing staff in the fertility unit
• To participate in research projects and assess current practice with regard to application in the clinical area.
• To participate in the teaching of patients, medical and nursing staff and other interested parties.
• To accept personal responsibility for keeping up to date and identifying own learning needs in line with annual appraisal and personnel development plan
• To attend relevant scientific meetings.
• To act as a mentor for the rotating Junior Nurses nurses and to link with the gynaecology ward manager.

The post holder is required to follow Trust policies and procedures which are regularly updated including:

Confidentiality / Data Protection / Freedom of Information

Post holders must maintain the confidentiality of information about patients, staff and other health service business in accordance with the Data Protection Act of 1998. Post holders must not, without prior permission, disclose any information regarding patients or staff. If any member of staff has communicated any such information to an unauthorised person those staff will be liable to dismissal. Moreover, the Data Protection Act 1998 also renders an individual liable for prosecution in the event of unauthorised disclosure of information.

Following the Freedom of Information Act (FOI) 2005, post holders must apply the Trusts FOI procedure if they receive a written request for information.

Equal Opportunities

Post holders must at all times fulfil their responsibilities with regard to the Trusts Equal Opportunities Policy and equality laws.

Health and Safety

All post holders have a responsibility, under the Health and Safety at Work Act (1974) and subsequently published regulations, to ensure that the Trusts health and safety policies and procedures are complied with to maintain a safe working environment for patients, visitors and employees.

Infection Control

All post holders have a personal obligation to act to reduce healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs). They must attend mandatory training in Infection Control and be compliant with all measures required by the Trust to reduce HCAIs. Post holders must be familiar with the Trusts Infection Control Policies, including those that apply to their duties, such as Hand Decontamination Policy, Personal Protective Equipment Policy, safe procedures for using aseptic techniques and safe disposal of sharps.

Risk Management

All post holders have a responsibility to report risks such as clinical and non-clinical accidents or incidents promptly. They are expected to be familiar with the Trusts use of risk assessments to predict and control risk, as well as the incident reporting system for learning from mistakes and near misses in order to improve services. Post holders must also attend training identified by their manager, or stated by the Trust to be mandatory.

Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults

Post holders have a general responsibility for safeguarding children and vulnerable adults in the course of their daily duties and for ensuring that they are aware of the specific duties relating to their role.

Smoking Policy

It is the Trusts policy to promote health. Smoking, therefore, is actively discouraged. It is illegal within Trust buildings and vehicles.

Review of this Job Description

This job description is intended as an outline of the general areas of activity and will be reviewed as the job role changes.

Person Specification

Professional Registration and Education

Essential

• RN1 Registered Nurse, registered on the NMC register
• BSc/1st Degree or equivalent
• ENB 998 or equivalent teaching/mentorship course
• Your professional knowledge acquired at degree level will be supplemented by specialist training, experience and short courses on a consistent basis working towards Masters level equivalent.
• Non Medical Prescribing course or commitment to undertake.
• Post registration qualification within surgical speciality; Urology / Colorectal

Previous experience

Essential

• Extensive experience of working autonomously at an advanced level within the specialist area.
• Experience of delivering change management both personally and as a facilitator
• Ability to clinically lead & influence staff
• Proven evidence of management / leadership skills and autonomous practice
• Previous experience of student supervision and clinical education at undergraduate level

Desirable

• Experience of patient history taking and performing physical assessment.

Skills

Essential

• Advanced clinical, managerial and leadership skills in specialty.
• Aptitude to undertake further advanced clinical practise training
• Ability to think strategically and plan ahead
• Up to date knowledge of current clinical and professional issues
• Experience of audit, research & evidence based care
• An understanding of resource management
• Knowledge of quality standards & NICE recommendations/NSF
• Sound knowledge of current issues in the profession and practice of nursing
• Excellent verbal, written, interpersonal & communication skills
• Able to use skills of history taking and physical assessment to perform full patient clerking for emergency admissions
• Proven listening / counselling skills
• Time management and organisation skills
• Evidence of teaching skills
• Experience in patient advocacy
• Ability to conduct & evaluate own projects successfully
• Ability to critically analyse data
• Ability to carry out audit and research
• IT Skills
• Ability to respond quickly to Trust emergency calls
• Creative, lateral thinker
• Sensitivity based on knowledge
• Diplomatic
• Flexible and positive approach to work
• Good health/attendance record
• Able and willing to work flexible shift patterns, internal rotation to day and night duty and unsocial hours, according to service needs

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab) .

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab) .

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).