• Promote and participate in an effective communication dialogue with colleagues and other members of the multi-disciplinary team within Theatres, including Scrubs, Anesthetic and PACU nurses and Support Caregivers.
• During the anaesthetic phase, you will primarily support the anesthetist but also prepare any specialist equipment, devices and drugs. You will also assess the patient immediately prior to the surgery.
• Relate complex clinical information, in conjunction with senior theatre practitioner and -medical Caregivers to patients based on their diagnosis, treatment and care.
• Demonstrate empathy and provide reassurance to patients undergoing a wide range of surgical procedures and treatments.
• Inform Senior Practitioners of any incidents or issues affecting patients or Caregivers and participate in the related investigations.
• Ensure all equipment is in good, safe working order and ready for immediate use and to participate in the evaluation of stock levels and ordering supplies.
• Act at all times as the patient’s advocate, ensuring their safety, well-being and dignity, continuously assessing their comfort and providing advice as necessary.
• Uphold patient confidentiality at all times.
• Provide supervision, mentorship and support to a variety of Caregivers and students working in the department, including appropriate delegation and offering guidance and training as required.
• Additional duties as required.

Job Responsibilities:

Clinical Practice

• Adhere to the NMC / HCPC Code of Professional Conduct at all times.
• Demonstrate clinical expertise in the care of any patients receiving treatment in the department.
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate the needs of patients on an ongoing basis, co-ordinating the care given by all members of the clinical team.
• Act as a resource person to others, providing accurate information, advice and support to the multidisciplinary team, patients and their relatives.
• Ensure that accurate records are maintained reflecting both changes in the patient’s condition and the treatment delivered.
• Ensure that Clinical Guidelines are implemented and to be actively involved in auditing practice in conjunction with Team Leaders and Theatre Educator.
• Ensure that practice is evidence based and with support assist in the development of policies and protocols within the clinical area.
• Uphold high standards of perioperative care, according to existing policies and procedures.
• Support the process of continuous quality improvement, assisting in audits etc. to formally evaluate standards of care and assist in the implementation of changes in the light of such findings.
• Actively support the implementation of the CCL nursing / local perioperative strategy and uphold the ethos of the local philosophy.

Education and  Research

• Act as a mentor to junior practitioner, responsible for the orientation, supervision and ongoing development of junior and student learners, in conjunction with Team Leader Theatre Educator.
• Act as practice supervisor / assessor, responsible for completing competency documents for junior practitioners within agreed timeframes.
• Contribute to the wider educational activities within the Services – ensuring attendance at and contributing to the delivery of educational activities to the Multi-disciplinary team within the Services.
• Promote and encourage the application of research and of evidence based practices.
• Participate in any research projects conducted in the clinical area as appropriate.
• Act as “link Practitioner“(e.g. infection control, manual handling) ensuring attendance at and contribution to CCL wide meeting and responsible for ensuring dissemination of relevant information from these to all Caregivers within the Unit.

Leadership /Management

• Manage the clinical workload effectively, ensuring care is prioritised appropriately.
• Contribute positively towards the delivery of a cost effective service, adjusting staffing levels to meet demand and assisting the Team Leaders to keep within agreed resources.
• Assist with the ongoing organisation of the unit, including responsibility for a designated area of practice within department on a daily basis, to ensure optimal theatre utilisation at all times, facilitating timely admission and discharge of patients.
• Act as a Senior Practitioner to an identified group of Caregivers; monitoring and documenting the development of their clinical skills.
• Actively support the process of risk management and Health & Safety – upholding relevant policies to promote this and ensuring incidents are reported appropriately and helping identify ways of preventing errors and accidents to both patients and Caregivers.
• Contribute to service development affecting the clinical area and positively influence others to adapt to change.
• Actively promote customer care, assisting in resolving local (informal) complaints and supporting the Team Leaders to investigate formal problems.
• Maintain standards of hygiene and cleanliness within the clinical area.
• Be a leader in a crisis situations, resolving problems as necessary and escalate to Team leaders as necessary.
• Attend and contribute to departmental meetings as required.

Personal  Professional  Development

• Work within and accept responsibility for maintaining agreed levels of clinical competence and ensure clinical currency as new technologies are introduced.
• Keep up to date with NMC / HPC, CCL and departmental Policies and Procedures and to adhere to these at all times.
• Demonstrate an insight into own professional development, contributing to the process of identifying own educational and clinical training needs in conjunction with the Team Leader.
• Participate in own Individual Performance Review and after suitable training, to be responsible for undertaking timely reviews for own team of junior practitioner.
• Ensure own educational commitment is at least sufficient to maintain professional body’s requirements and to ensure own mandatory training certificates are current, in liaison with Team Leader.

5. General

• Maintain strict confidentiality of Caregivers and patient records, in line with CCL Policy.
• Ensure that acceptable standards of data protection are maintained, in accordance with the Data Protection Act.
• Observe the rules, policies and procedures in place at CCL.
• Participate in team meetings as required by your Team Leader.
• Under the Health & Safety at Work Act, the post holder has a general duty of care for the health, safety and wellbeing of oneself, fellow Caregivers, visitors and patients within CCL, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post.
• Demonstrates initiative to proactively problem solve with a solution focus, escalating more complex issues as required.
• Ability to communicate effectively and build relationships with the multi-disciplinary team.
• Being reliable and flexible, demonstrating enthusiasm and commitment.
• Good oral and written communication skills with clear handwriting and computer literacy.
• Undertake any other duties appropriate to the Skills, this may be required from time to time.

6. Work Experience/Skills

• Sound knowledge of theatre practice and perioperative issues and best practice.
• Pervious Scrub Practitioner skills along with Anaesthetic Practitioner skills is advantageous.
• Previous experience working within clinical environment like Cath Lab, EP lab, IR or Endoscopy is advantageous but not essential.
• Knowledge of medical device and drugs, including their interactions and side effects.

The post holder will have a comprehensive knowledge of perioperative care and will be able to care for a patient during the intraoperative journey.

Education:

• RGN level 1 (minimum) with Anaesthetic Qualification
• ODP Qualification

Languages:

• Ability to speak and write in English is required.

Certifications:

• Nursing registration (First Level) through the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) required.
• ODP registration through Health and Care Professional Council (HCPC) required.
• Post-registration qualification relevant to functional specialty i.e. Scrub Practitioner.
• No restrictions to practice on NMC record.

Equipment

• Follows standard precautions using personal protective equipment as required.