Job summary
We are recruiting for a Nurse Team Leader - Pre-operative Assessment who shares our vision to be trusted to provide consistently outstanding care and exemplary service to our patients.
The role of the Preoperative assessment practitioner is that of an advocate who identifies the patients' needs and risk factors that may affect their surgical experience.
We are dedicated to the reduction of cancelled operations on the day of surgery through ensuring that patients are comprehensively optimised prior to their surgical procedure.
We focus on improving the patient's experience before, during and after their admission by meeting their individual needs.
The assessment, identification and subsequent management of risks related to surgery can also be directly related to the reduction of complication rates and mortality.
Our Values are Include, Respect and Improve. It is important that you understand and refer to our values during your recruitment process and beyond!
Main duties of the job
As part of our elective recovery initiative, we are keen to recruit dedicated, enthusiastic, and highly motivated Band 6 Pre-operative Assessment (POA) nurses.
This exciting opportunity will see you making a real difference in our patients' lives and the standard of quality healthcare delivered.
You must be a conscientious, caring individual, preferably with good POA experience but not essential as full training will be given.
You will join and be part of a progressive, innovative team that keeps the patient at the heart of everything we do.
After your POA training and induction, you will conduct Nurse-led clinics and autonomously manage your patient caseload. Therefore, you should have a flexible approach to working and a willingness to learn and develop continuously.
In addition, strong customer care skills and effective communication with all stakeholders are fundamental.
You will act as a role model and demonstrate a desire and willingness to contribute and actively be involved in further developing the POA service as well as the team, student nurses and ODPs who join us on clinical placements.
In return, you will be working within a committed team of hardworking nurses with a high level of professionalism to holistically assess the individual care needs of patients to ensure they are managed safely and effectively throughout their surgical pathway.
About us
At East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, we are proud of the range of general & specialist services we provide & our 6,000 or so dedicated staff ensure our patients get the best care. Our ability to be flexible & innovative in the way in which we work and deliver our services to our catchment has never been more important than it is now.
We run the following hospitals:
- The Lister Hospital, Stevenage
- New Queen Elizabeth II (New QEII), Welwyn Garden City
- Hertford County, Hertford
- Mount Vernon Cancer Centre (MVCC), Northwood
We have ambitious plans to become an outstanding, patient-led Trust where dedicated staff provide high-quality, compassionate care to our patients. We continue to undergo significant transformation; our staff & patients are at the heart of delivering this ambitious agenda.
We understand that finding and starting a new job is an important life decision. If you need reasonable adjustments for a disability, or a life event, such as menopause - so that we can consider your application fairly & to get the best out of you during the selection process, please let us know.
We are committed to a positive work life balance for our employees. Employees are entitled to seek to work flexible working patterns & we are committed to listen and consider all requests. Such requests, of course, have to be made & considered formally, & will need to be balanced against service needs, but our starting point will always be to find ways to support making them happen.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.
Job description
Job responsibilities
Please see the attached Job Description and Person Specification applicant pack for further detailed information regarding this role.
Person Specification
Qualifications / Training
Essential
- Registered nurse on part 1 or part 12 of the NMC register.
- Evidence of ongoing professional development and commitment to lifelong learning
- Ability to produce professional portfolio
Desirable
- Hold an NMC approved mentoring qualification
- Degree or working towards
- Leadership or Management Qualification or willingness to work towards
Previous Experience
Essential
- Significant post registration experience in relevant area(s) of practice
- Evidence of working on own initiative
- Experience of strong leadership and coaching skills
- Experience of audit and research skills
Desirable
- Experience and knowledge of budget management
- Experience in teaching and supervision
- Experience of recruitment and selection
- Experience of managing staff related personnel issues
Skills
Essential
- Evidence of advanced communication skills and ability to engage and promote good working relationships at all levels
- Ability to communicate in a variety of settings with patients of varying levels of understanding
- Self-awareness
- Demonstrates motivation and commitment to providing high quality patient centered nursing care and patient education
- Demonstrates advanced planning and organisational skills
- Adaptable, Flexibility, Collaborative team worker
- Demonstrates initiative and ability to work independently, able to problem solve and prioritise own and others work
- Ability to exercise tact and discretion and deal with sensitive issues
- Demonstrates understanding of efficient and effective use of resources
- Ability to use own judgement and a willingness to follow instruction and guidance when necessary
- Shows appropriate professional and personal boundaries.
- Physically able to undertake a demanding role safely, as, and when required
- Ability to work within set time constraints to fulfill deadlines and meet the needs of patient, service and organisation
- Willingness to undertake on the job training appropriate to the role
- Act as a clinical role model, mentor assessor and support for learners
- Competent in the use of IT systems and knowledge of and using an EPR database system or equivalent
- Demonstrates excellent critical thinking problem-solving skills, with the ability to think laterally
- Evidence of reflective practice used to set professional development ambitions
Desirable
Knowledge
Essential
- Able to demonstrate understanding of current developments in the NHS and their implications for leadership and quality care for patients/service users
- Awareness of health and safety legislation and strategies for maintaining a safe environment for patients, staff, and visitors
- Awareness of safeguarding responsibilities and escalation processes
- Detailed understanding of Pre-operative Assessment role, purpose, and pathways
- Understanding of the need for quality and necessary change in the clinical environment based on current evidence, to providing high quality patient centered nursing care and patient education
- Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusivity principles and values
- Understanding of Confidentiality & Data Protection
Person Specification
Qualifications / Training
Essential
- Registered nurse on part 1 or part 12 of the NMC register.
- Evidence of ongoing professional development and commitment to lifelong learning
- Ability to produce professional portfolio
Desirable
- Hold an NMC approved mentoring qualification
- Degree or working towards
- Leadership or Management Qualification or willingness to work towards
Previous Experience
Essential
- Significant post registration experience in relevant area(s) of practice
- Evidence of working on own initiative
- Experience of strong leadership and coaching skills
- Experience of audit and research skills
Desirable
- Experience and knowledge of budget management
- Experience in teaching and supervision
- Experience of recruitment and selection
- Experience of managing staff related personnel issues
Skills
Essential
- Evidence of advanced communication skills and ability to engage and promote good working relationships at all levels
- Ability to communicate in a variety of settings with patients of varying levels of understanding
- Self-awareness
- Demonstrates motivation and commitment to providing high quality patient centered nursing care and patient education
- Demonstrates advanced planning and organisational skills
- Adaptable, Flexibility, Collaborative team worker
- Demonstrates initiative and ability to work independently, able to problem solve and prioritise own and others work
- Ability to exercise tact and discretion and deal with sensitive issues
- Demonstrates understanding of efficient and effective use of resources
- Ability to use own judgement and a willingness to follow instruction and guidance when necessary
- Shows appropriate professional and personal boundaries.
- Physically able to undertake a demanding role safely, as, and when required
- Ability to work within set time constraints to fulfill deadlines and meet the needs of patient, service and organisation
- Willingness to undertake on the job training appropriate to the role
- Act as a clinical role model, mentor assessor and support for learners
- Competent in the use of IT systems and knowledge of and using an EPR database system or equivalent
- Demonstrates excellent critical thinking problem-solving skills, with the ability to think laterally
- Evidence of reflective practice used to set professional development ambitions
Desirable
Knowledge
Essential
- Able to demonstrate understanding of current developments in the NHS and their implications for leadership and quality care for patients/service users
- Awareness of health and safety legislation and strategies for maintaining a safe environment for patients, staff, and visitors
- Awareness of safeguarding responsibilities and escalation processes
- Detailed understanding of Pre-operative Assessment role, purpose, and pathways
- Understanding of the need for quality and necessary change in the clinical environment based on current evidence, to providing high quality patient centered nursing care and patient education
- Understanding of, and commitment to, equality, diversity and inclusivity principles and values
- Understanding of Confidentiality & Data Protection
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.
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
Additional information
UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see
NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).
