Job Title: Staff Nurse

Department: Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory

Reports to: Nurse Manager

Date: 2023

Beacon Hospital’s Cath Labs are staffed by an experienced multidisciplinary team including our Consultant Cardiologists and Electrophysiologists as well as our cardiac physiologists, radiographers and cardiac clinical nurse specialists. Beacon has two Cath Labs and a third Cath Lab opening at the end of 2023.

Overall Purpose of Job

We will provide exceptional patient care in an environment where quality, respect, caring and compassion are at the centre of all we do.

To provide professional nursing skills in assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating the nursing care for assigned patients. The staff nurse will work closely with the Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory and Cardiology multidisciplinary team to deliver a high quality Cardiology Service.

Key Responsibilities and Deliverables:

• Provide direct care to assigned patients.
• Take the nursing history, summarise data, and state nursing diagnoses and patient care needs.
• Observe and record signs, symptoms, and behaviours, including the physiological status of patients; present the assessment of changes, the proposed revision of interventions and desired outcomes.
• Follow policy for activating an individualised plan of care for newly admitted patients.
• Deliver designated nursing interventions to assigned patients that are consistent with the stated medical plan of care.
• Perform admission, discharge and transfer procedures, and assist others with patient's activities and care.
• Execute physician's orders for all assigned patients; safely and properly administer medications and treatments.
• Notify appropriate nursing and medical staff to changes in the patient's status.
• Independently perform duties and assume responsibility for care of assigned patients.
• Perform techniques and routines in the specialty service area.
• Perform or assist others to perform proper aseptic techniques, isolation procedures and infection control measures.
• Document nursing care in all assigned patient records.
• Maintain patient's privacy and confidentiality of information and records at all times.
• Evaluate care given including the patient response.
• Reassess and document the proposed revision of interventions and desired outcomes.
• Demonstrate ability to assess patient's understanding of and compliance with instructions and health care teaching.
• Review documentation of instructions, teaching topics, and patient response with the Nurse Manager or designee.
• Adhere to internal controls established for department.
• Perform related duties as required.

Clinical Responsibilities:

• The post holder will be familiar with and adhere to The Professional Scope of Practice Framework (NMBI, 2015).
• The post holder will ensure:
• The patients’ needs are individually assessed.
• A care plan and evaluation process is planned and implemented.
• The patients’ families and significant others are involved as appropriate.
• Patients are cared for in the optimum clinical environment, adhering to all nursing and hospital wide policies and guidelines.
• Full nursing participation in and supervision of patients’ meal and special dietary requirements.
• Visiting time policies are adhered to.
• Delegation is appropriate to the skill level and knowledge of the individual to whom the task is delegated.
• Documentation is recorded in a professional, legible and timely fashion.
• The post holder will partake in the Total Quality Management processes thereby contributing to:
• The identification of quality, policy and guideline issues.
• The evaluation of current practices to best practice.
• The setting of standards utilising structure, process and outcome.
• All hospital, regional and national audit processes.
• The Hospital Wide Accreditation Cycle.
• Health Promotion initiatives.

Managerial Responsibilities:

• The timely identification and communication of any issues to the Nurse Manager and Clinical Co-Ordinator.
• Demonstrate a confidence and competence in all hospital policies and guidelines.
• Efficient recording of all necessary documentation.
• Effective managements of complaints.
• Monitoring of all risk management processes.
• Maintaining an effective interdisciplinary communication processes.
• Efficient utilisation of pay and non-pay resources.
• Deputise for the Nurse Manager as appropriate.
• Participate in all ward and hospital nursing communication processes.

Personal & Professional Responsibilities:

• The post holder is expected to:
• Attend in a timely manner all mandatory education sessions.
• Maintain a professional portfolio.
• Ensure their professional and personal persona positively reflects the profession of nursing and Beacon Hospital.
• Identify potential and beneficial topics for nursing research.
• Utilise all practical opportunities to educate the patient and their families.
• Attend appropriate study days and courses.
• Be a preceptor and or supervisor to students and newly appointed staff.
• Participate in their performance review with their Nurse Manager.

Educational Responsibilities:

• Under the direction of the Nurse Manager the post holder will:
• Develop teaching skills and participate in the planning implementation of orientation and teaching programmes for student nurses and New Staff in the clinical setting.
• Provide feedback to Nurse Manager in the compilation of proficiency assessments for student nurses in the clinical setting.
• Contribute to the identification of training needs pertinent to the clinical area.
• Identify and contribute to the continual enhancement of learning opportunities in the clinical area.
• Participate in the clinical induction of all new nursing and support staff.
• Develop leadership ability in order to act as an effective role model.
• Assume responsibility for own learning and development needs.

Other Duties and Responsibilities:

• Utilise effective time management skills.
• Maintain professional appearance and dress code.
• Comply with guidelines for absence or tardiness.
• Attend staff meetings, reads email and other postings.
• Attend all required in-services.
• All employees are expected to remain flexible to meet the needs of the hospital, which may include floating to other departments to assist as the patient needs fluctuate.

Person Specification:

Qualifications

• NMBI Registered General Nurse licence in good standing.
• BLS required.
• ACLS desired.

Experience

• 1 year Cardiology/Cardiac Catheterisation Laboratory experience preferred.

Job Specific Competencies and Knowledge

Teamwork

• Demonstrate ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team.
• Demonstrate motivation and an innovative approach to job.

Communication & Interpersonal Skills

• Demonstrate effective communication skills including the ability to present information in a clear and concise manner.

Planning and Organising

• Demonstrate evidence of effective planning, organising and time management skills.
• Demonstrate flexible approach – to internal rotations, rostering, e.g. night duty, theatre on call, attitude to work.

Knowledge:

• Demonstrate evidence of recent and relevant experience in the specialised area and in an acute hospital setting.
• Demonstrate knowledge of new developments in specialised area.
• Demonstrate knowledge of national strategies where appropriate to nursing care.

Patient & Customer Focus

• Demonstrate a focus on quality.
• Demonstrate evidence of ability to empathise with and treat patients, relatives and colleagues.