Community Staff Nurse

Job summary

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a motivated and compassionate Band 5 Community Staff Nurse to join the Community Nursing Team on a fixed-term basis to provide maternity leave cover. The post holder will deliver high-quality nursing care to patients in their own homes and community settings, supporting individuals with a range of healthcare needs.

Working as part of a multidisciplinary team, you will be responsible for assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating patient care, promoting independence, preventing unnecessary hospital admissions and supporting timely discharge from acute services. The successful candidate will demonstrate excellent clinical, communication and organisational skills, with a commitment to delivering safe, effective and patient-centred care.

Main duties of the job

Assess, plan, implement and evaluate nursing care for patients within their own homes and community settings.Manage a delegated caseload, ensuring care is delivered in accordance with clinical guidelines, Trust policies and professional standards.Undertake holistic patient assessments and develop individualised care plans to meet identified needs.Deliver a range of clinical interventions, including wound care, medicines management, continence care and long-term condition management.Work collaboratively with patients, carers, GPs, Allied Health Professionals, social care and other members of the multidisciplinary team.Promote health, wellbeing and independence, supporting patients to self-manage their conditions wherever appropriate.Maintain accurate and timely clinical documentation using electronic patient record systems.Recognise and escalate changes in patient condition, ensuring prompt clinical intervention where required.Participate in safeguarding processes and act in accordance with local and national safeguarding policies.Contribute to service improvement, clinical governance, audit activities and incident reporting.Participate in mandatory training, clinical supervision and continuing professional development to maintain professional competence and registration standards.

About us

Wirral Community Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust has been rated as Good by CQC (Dec 2023) with some outstanding areas.

As an aspiring outstanding Trust we have numerous policies and procedures in place which provide standard organisational ways of working, in line with organisational objectives, relevant legislation and requirements. Policies allow for continuity and consistency within the Trust. Employees must abide by and adhere to all Wirral Community NHS Trust's policies, at all times.

Job responsibilities

The Community Staff Nurse will work as an integral member of the Community Nursing Team, delivering high-quality, evidence-based nursing care to patients within their own homes and community settings.

The post holder will be responsible for the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care for a designated caseload of patients, including those with acute, chronic and complex healthcare needs. Working autonomously and as part of a multidisciplinary team, the post holder will provide a range of clinical interventions, including wound management, medicines management, catheter care, continence care, long-term condition management and palliative care, ensuring care is delivered in accordance with professional standards, Trust policies and national guidance.

The post holder will undertake holistic assessments, develop and review individualised care plans, monitor patient outcomes, recognise changes in clinical condition and escalate concerns appropriately.

Effective communication with patients, carers, GPs, Allied Health Professionals, social care services and other partner agencies is essential to ensure coordinated, person-centred care.

The post holder will promote patient independence, support self-management, contribute to hospital admission avoidance and facilitate timely discharge where appropriate. In addition, they will maintain accurate clinical records, participate in safeguarding processes, support quality improvement initiatives, contribute to clinical governance activities and maintain professional competence through mandatory training, supervision and continuing professional development.

The role requires excellent clinical, organisational and communication skills, together with a commitment to delivering safe, compassionate and effective care in line with Trust values and the NMC Code of Professional Conduct.

Person specification

Qualifications and Professional Training

Essential

• Registered General Nurse educated to degree level (or equivalent)
• Current NMC registration
• Evidence of further recent professional development

Desirable

• Mentorship module or working towards

Experience and Knowledge

Essential

• Understanding of National Government initiatives in health and social care and how they impact on local services
• Knowledge of a broad range of conditions, experienced by patients in community and general practice settings. This will include LTCs, for example diabetes, coronary heart disease, heart failure, hypertension and stroke, COPD, arthritis, dementia and other common mental illnesses, frailty and palliative and end of life care
• An understanding of the presentations of multiple pathology, depression and anxiety states and frailty, predominantly in older people
• Knowledge of the management of uncomplicated symptoms in those patients with palliative or terminal care needs and enhanced communication skills to confidently manage uncertainty
• Understands the role of the Staff Nurse on the Community

Desirable

• Community Nursing experience

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Will be required to undertake all core competencies
• Effective interpersonal skills
• Excellent communication skills written and oral
• Effective organisational skills
• Ability to articulate the evidence underpinning patients' care plans and interventions
• Ability to work in any additional location /team flexibly across community nursing teams to enable the service to respond dynamically to demand and resource limitations
• Computer Literate

Desirable

• Evidence of managing people and complex situations

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Ability to work independently or as part of a team
• Access to a car for work purposes