About this role
Job summary
The Clinical Nurse Specialist role within IV (Intravenous) Access and OPAT (Outpatient Parenteral Antimicrobial Therapy) is a specialist hybrid role supporting trust wide service delivery.
The role supports evidence-based, holistic patient-centred care, using expert skills and knowledge attained through a substantial training programme, to ensure the postholder is competent for autonomous working.
The Clinical Nurse Specialist will undertake a minimum 6-month supernumerary period across both OPAT and IV Access to ensure they become competent in achieving set clinical competencies to facilitate independent practice in both services. Following this they will be competent in the insertion of various vascular access devices (VADs) ensuring to act as a role model, and specialist resource, supporting education and training across organisational boundaries.
Within the OPAT service, the postholder will support the community nursing teams to deliver IV antibiotics in the patient's own home. They represent the service in MDT alongside the Consultant Microbiologist, Antimicrobial Pharmacist, Acute and Primary care to ensure optimal holistic patient management.
The OPAT role includes working remotely and undertaking community home visits to offer emergency advice, support the initiation of new referrals, and offer IV Access support to patients and community teams.
Main duties of the job
Co-ordinate the referral and follow up care of patients discharged onto the OPAT service, including attendance at clinical reviews as required.
Demonstrate the use of specialist knowledge and skills in the insertion, removal and troubleshooting of various VADs, including Pilot ECG & chest x-ray (CXR) interpretation, Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter (PICC) insertion/reposition under fluoroscopy, and ordering investigations.
Ensures thorough clinical assessment of the patient requiring IV therapy or OPAT to determine appropriate device selection.
Competent in Ultrasound guided insertion of VADs and obtaining blood samples.
Effective management of complications, which may occur during and post insertion of VADs
Effectively manage exposure to blood and bodily fluids.
The ability to work in challenging and unpredictable environments both within a hospital setting and a patient's own home, remaining calm and focused, navigating multiple frequent interruptions during procedures and whilst co-ordinating care via OPAT.
Administration of IV Dalbavancin.
Lead weekly MDT in collaboration with Consultant Microbiologist and Antimicrobial Pharmacist to raise clinical concerns and maintain optimised treatment plans, ensuring antimicrobial stewardship, to facilitate any changes to treatment plans and maintain patient safety.
About us
All new colleagues can expect to receive a warm and friendly Wirral welcome from the very first time they make contact with us. We are described as "competent and caring staff" by our patients.
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is situated on The Wirral peninsula which has a stunning coastline and beautiful countryside surroundings, with great activities for its residents.
We are one of the largest and busiest acute Trusts in the North West of England, comprising of the Wirral's only Emergency Department. We provide a high quality range of acute care services and employ over 6,000 staff, who serve a population of approximately 400,000 people across Wirral, Ellesmere Port, Neston, North Wales and the wider North West footprint.
We have approximately 855 beds trust-wide and our financial turnover is in excess of £337m.
The Wirral is easily accessible with excellent transport links including motorway, train, bus or ferry and within easy reach to the major cities of Liverpool, Chester and Manchester as well as neighbouring North Wales.
Job description Job responsibilities
Please see attached Job Description for further information about the OPAT IV Access Specialist Nurse position available at WUTH.
Person Specification
Qualifications, Specific Experience & Training Essential
Current NMC registration with significant post registration experience Previous experience within IV Access Clinical supervision experience Post registration recognised mentor and teaching/assessing qualification (or equivalent experience) Master's level qualification within the relevant field of study or evidence of specialist training to Masters equivalent level
Desirable
Clinical Examination at level 7 Clinical champion within the IV Access role Clinical champion within the IV Access role ANTT assessors' level 2
Knowledge and Skills Essential
Experience of working with electronic health records, including Word and Excel spreadsheets
Other Requirements Essential
Needs to be able to drive and hold a full UK driving licence due to the community aspects of the role
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).
Employer details Employer name Wirral University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust
Address Wirral University Teaching Hospital
Arrowe Park Road
Upton
CH495PE
United Kingdom
Employer's website https://www.wuth.nhs.uk (Opens in a new tab)