An exciting opportunity has arisen for an experienced and enthusiastic critical care nurse to join the Oncology Critical Care Unit (OCCU) at The Christie NHS Foundation Trust as a Practice Education Facilitator.
The Oncology Critical Care Unit is a specialist 8-bed unit providing Level 2 (high dependency) and Level 3 (intensive care) support for patients with complex cancer-related conditions. As Practice Education Facilitator, you will play a pivotal role in developing and supporting a highly skilled critical care workforce, ensuring staff have the knowledge, competence and confidence to deliver outstanding patient care.
Working closely with the Matron, Lead Nurse, multidisciplinary teams and the Critical Care Skills Institute, you will lead the development, delivery and evaluation of educational programmes that support workforce development and service excellence. You will act as a clinical expert, role model and change agent, promoting evidence-based practice, innovation and continuous improvement.
This is an exciting opportunity for a passionate educator and experienced critical care practitioner who is committed to developing others and shaping the future of specialist oncology critical care
The Practice Education Facilitator will lead the development, delivery and evaluation of education and training programmes for staff working within OCCU, ensuring a competent and confident workforce capable of delivering high-quality patient care.
You will support the induction, preceptorship and ongoing professional development of nursing staff, healthcare professionals and learners, helping them develop and maintain critical care knowledge, skills and competencies. Working clinically alongside staff, you will facilitate the translation of evidence-based theory into practice and promote excellence in patient care.
The role includes contributing to the Critical Care Skills Institute, delivering education programmes, supporting competency frameworks, undertaking training needs analysis and identifying innovative learning opportunities. You will work collaboratively with internal and external education providers to enhance learning experiences and workforce development.
The Christie is one of Europe’s leading cancer centres, treating over 60,000 patients a year. We are based in Manchester and serve a population of 3.2 million across Greater Manchester & Cheshire, but as a national specialist around 15% patients are referred to us from other parts of the country. We provide radiotherapy through one of the largest radiotherapy departments in the world; chemotherapy on site and through 14 other hospitals; highly specialist surgery for complex and rare cancer; and a wide range of support and diagnostic services. We are also an international leader in research, with world first breakthroughs for over 100 years. We run one of the largest early clinical trial units in Europe with over 300 trials every year. Cancer research in Manchester, most of which is undertaken on the Christie site, has been officially ranked the best in the UK.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Clinical Responsibilities
- Act as a clinical expert in critical care and in use of critical care monitoring/therapeutic equipment within the clinical area.
- Establish and maintain effective communication with patients and patients and carers/relatives within the clinical setting using effective strategies to overcome barriers to communication.
- Utilise and respond to sensitive information appropriately.
- Work collaboratively with the multi professional team to ensure patient’s needs are met.
- Actively promote and monitor the safety, wellbeing and interests of the patients, staff and visitors to the clinical area.
- Maintain high clinical profile and facilitate the application of theory to practice.
- Maintain accurate legible and timely written/verbal/electronic reports which inform other members of the team, patients and their carers/relatives.
- Be aware of current research associated with critical care practice and utilise same in ensuring evidence-based practice at local level.
- Act as a patient advocate in promoting and delivering the highest standard of nursing care.
- Prevent the spread of infection by adopting measures appropriate to the situation, and participating in the education of staff, patients and carer’s
- Comply with policies for the correct disposal of clinical and other waste, sharps, soiled linen, and ensure all staff adhere to these policies
- Maintain high standards of cleanliness
- Be involved in the continuous raising of awareness of infection control issues with all members of the multi professional team, visitors and carers.
Professional Responsibilities
- Maintain own professional status and ensure that the NMC requirements for registration are met and adhered to.
- Ensure all relevant nursing policies, procedures and guidelines are adhered to.
- Participate in directorate and intensive care meetings as required
- Maintain a safe environment for yourself and others, taking reasonable care to avoid injury. Co-operate with the Trust to meet statutory requirements.
- Provide statements regarding untoward incidents, as requested by the Senior Nurse
- Ensure all staff attend Trust mandatory training annually
- Maintain registration and nursing competencies, and comply with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct, and related documents.
Quality
- Contribute to Clinical Governance, NHSLA and Research & development initiatives
- Maintain a professional approach to staff, patients, visitors and colleagues, treating all with dignity and respect.
- Network with other areas to ensure learning opportunities are maximised
- Promote the use of information technology to improve and inform practice
- Maintain a safe environment for yourself and others, taking reasonable care to avoid injury. Co-operate with the Trust to meet statutory requirements
- Provide statements regarding untoward incidents, as requested by the Senior Nurse
- Ensure all staff attend Trust mandatory training annually
- Maintain registration and nursing competencies, and comply with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct, and related documents.
- Support and contribute to the development of quality improvement strategies with Critical Care Support and contribute and effective use of physical and financial resources.
- Communicate with senior management team, service users and other multi professional trust/regional groups regarding educational initiatives, programmes and future plans and developments.
Research
- Contribute to the improvement of patient care through the clinical governance framework and participate in the development of standard, benchmarking, audit and research.
- Demonstrate a commitment to develop own research skills.
- Lead of participate as appropriate in research or audit projects and programmes at ward/department, trust and national level.
- Identify relevant areas for research/evaluation studies.
- Develop own expert clinical knowledge and lead the improvement of patient care by the development of evidence based practice.
- Be receptive and supportive towards the agreed research plans of others.
- Lead and participate towards the collection and evaluation of information in order to support clinical decision making.
- Disseminate research findings to colleagues through presentation/publication.
Training & Education
- Provide a minimum 6 days per month of time dedicated to activities associated with the Critical Care Skills Institute (CCSI) and actively contribute to the teaching of study days at CCSI and contribute to the marking of academic work and assessment of formative work.
- Regularly attend monthly PEF and curriculum meetings.
- Maintain inter-site network links between critical care services by collaborating with other Practice Education Facilitators
- Champion, co-ordinate, deliver and evaluate the Greater Manchester Acute Illness Management (GMAIM) course for the Trust, in conjunction with Acute Oncology Outreach Team.
- Be innovative and creative in identifying new learning opportunities for all staff, using a range of media.
- Support new and existing critical care staff through induction and ongoing development to gain and maintain skills and competence.
- Perform a detailed training analysis within critical care which identifies key areas for development and training.
- Maintain the competency based training programme which accurately reflects the training needs analysis findings.
- Regularly work alongside trained staff in practice to support ongoing training and development to gain and maintain skills and competence
- Ensure preceptorship is provided for newly qualified/new nurses working in OCCU.
- Ensure the maintenance of standards for practice placements recommended in NMC guidelines.
- Support and lead the development of pre-registration nurses allocated to the departments utilizing experienced trained qualified mentors in OCCU.
- Maintain accurate data management in relation to educational programmes.
- Support the development and maintenance of a positive learning environment conducive to meeting educational needs.
- Produce an annual report for the Trust and the CCSI on the educational/training activities.
Personal
- Demonstrate a pleasant and approachable manner and help create and promote a good working relationship.
- Show professional and courteous manner whilst practicing excellent communication skills at all levels
- To show respect for members of the team and endorse the ward philosophy of giving mutual support.
- Being aware of one’s own limitations, maintain confidentiality and adherence to NMC Professional Code of Conduct
- Cooperate in own performance review by indicating learning goals and support needs.
- Actively seek mentorship / supervision to enable reflection and development within the role.
- Exercise effective leadership using sound organisational skills and judgment, upholding equality and diversity of colleagues and patients.
