Job Introduction
North London Hospice is a registered charity that has been caring for local people since 1984. We are committed to empowering patients with life limiting illnesses, supporting them to achieve the best quality of life possible. As well as our inpatient unit at Woodside Avenue, we work within the wider community including our Outpatient and Wellbeing services; our support to patients in their own homes; our Community Specialist Palliative Care services; and our Patient and Family Support teams, providing emotional and practical support to patients, their families and carers.
The Palliative Care Team provides holistic, skilled, high-quality palliative care to all hospice patients both as inpatients and across the community.
Role Responsibility
Responsible for implementing and maintaining high standards of clinical and emotional care for individual patients in their own home, providing skilled care, advice and support to patients and their carers. This role involves lone working.
General & Clinical – including but not limited to:
- Responsible for contributing to, and the implementing of programmes of care within a patient’s home and to carry out all relevant forms of care without direct supervision and according to the Hospices’ lone worker policy
- Deliver a full care provision, supplementing the care provided by others to enable the patient to continue to be cared for at home.
- Demonstrate expertise in providing palliative care, which includes physical, psychological, spiritual, and emotional support. Be adaptable and positive to the challenges of working overnight.
- Assess pain and other symptoms using assessment of visible signs, pain history and appropriate physical examination, and administer medication, in accordance with the Hospice’s policies / procedures, in response to symptoms.
- Work with patients, their families, and friends in a sensitive and flexible manner, demonstrating an awareness of the impact of death, dying and bereavement and recognising that patient priorities and ability to communicate may vary over time
- Demonstrate awareness of emotional needs of patients and families and the sensitivity and communication skills required to meet these needs and demonstrate effective communication with patients and/or carers to ensure continuity of care for patients. Provide support with compassion and tact through difficult and stressful situations – including through grief and manage unpredictable and/or volatile situations effectively.
- Provide clear and concise handover information to peers, colleagues, and other healthcare professionals as appropriate, accurately updating records as necessary and noting changes and significant moves in patient progress and / or concerns.
- Identify and report risks, carrying out patient risk assessments and applying immediate remedial action as required.
- Carry out verification of expected adult death (following successful completion of the course) and work sensitively with families and carers to support them immediately after the death of the patient. If required, provide care for the deceased patient by administering last offices as appropriate
Infection Control
- Maintain the highest standards of infection control
- Familiarise with, and adhere to, North London Hospice Infection Control Processes, Policies and Procedures
Health and Safety
- Understand individual safety and security responsibilities
- Familiarise with, and adhere to, the relevant health, safety and security policies across North London Hospice
- Be aware and work to support own personal health and safety and the health and safety of others across the Hospice
- Maintain patient, personal and organisational confidentiality at all times. This includes patient medical and financial information; employee record; student records; financial
Confidentiality
- Maintain patient, personal and organisational confidentiality at all times. This includes patient
medical and financial information; employee records; student records; financial and operating data of North London Hospice and any other information that is of a private or sensitive nature - Familiarise with, and adhere to, the relevant confidentiality policies within North London Hospice
The Ideal Candidate
Education and Qualifications
- NMC Registration Level 1 – essential
- Oncology / Palliative Care Certificate - desirable
Experience and Knowledge
- Current general nursing care – essential
- Experience caring for patients at the end of life - essential
- Awareness of palliative care issues – desirable
- Experience of working in a palliative care environment within the community - desirable
Personal Qualities and Abilities
- Ability to respond to changes in a patients’ condition - essential
- Excellent communication skills - essential
- Ability to prioritise a patient’s care needs and work in an unsupervised setting - essential
- Able to effectively use own initiative – essential
- Able to work in a complex environment and demonstrate coping mechanisms – essential
- Flexibility to travel and work unsocial hours - essential