Senior Sister

The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust•Wednesfield, WV

About The Position

The Senior Sister role, under the oversight of the Matron for Respiratory, is responsible for leading and managing the team to support the quality of care received by patients. This role requires professional accountability and maintenance of professional practice standards set by the appropriate regulatory body. In a supervisory capacity, the Senior Sister will utilize clinical practice supervision, audit, research, learning from patient safety events, and teaching to establish, monitor, and enhance care standards and the efficient use of resources. The position is accountable for promoting safe and effective clinical practice, fostering a positive patient experience, contributing to the overall performance of the Respiratory Team, and ensuring effective contribution to the organization's strategies and objectives.

Requirements

Professional accountability and maintenance of standards of professional practice as set by the appropriate regulatory body.
Demonstrate critical analysis and decision-making skills.
Utilisation and integration of evidence-based practice.
High standard of record keeping in accordance with Nursing and Midwifery Council, Health and Care Professions Council, national legislation, and local standards.
Effective communication with the multi-professional team.
Assessment of risks involved in the care of patients.
Utilisation of evidence-based practices and protocols to minimise risks.
Prompt and appropriate reporting of incidents and near misses.
Application of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) methodology.
Expert clinical knowledge relevant to own field of practice, underpinned by theory and experience.
Adherence to the Nursing & Midwifery Council Code – Standards of conduct, performance and ethics for nurses and midwives.
Taking all reasonable care of health and safety at work for self, team, and others.
Cooperation with employers to ensure compliance with health and safety requirements.
Utilisation of appropriate Trust policies, procedures, and guidelines.
Development and maintenance of a working knowledge of local, national, and professional strategy and policy.

Nice To Haves

Lead on scoping excellent systems of work nationally and internationally for local adoption or adaption.
Identify and lead audit projects.
Seek opportunities for personal and team development, supporting research agenda of the organisation.

Responsibilities

Set standards of care and professionalism as a visible clinical leader.
Promote teamwork within a multi-professional environment, demonstrating critical analysis and decision-making skills.
Lead the delivery of designated quality workstreams, influencing and facilitating sustainment or improvement within the organization.
Act as a change agent, developing clinically effective practice through evidence-based practice.
Set, implement, and monitor evidence-based standards of care, policies, and procedures.
Ensure a culture of continuous quality improvement using research, audit, patient feedback, and learning from patient safety events.
Promote a clean and safe environment for staff, patients, and visitors by ensuring compliance with legislation, policies, and protocols.
Ensure a high standard of record keeping in accordance with regulatory bodies and local standards.
Support effective communication with the multi-professional team.
Assess risks involved in patient care and ensure the utilization of evidence-based practices and protocols to minimize risks.
Monitor the standards of care and escalate when standards fall below expected levels.
Report incidents and near misses promptly and appropriately, taking effective action to minimize future risk.
Apply awareness of Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI) methodology and liaise with the CQI Team.
Lead on scoping excellent systems of work nationally and internationally for local adoption or adaptation.
Identify and lead audit projects, ensuring recommendations are reported and implemented where practicable.
Develop and deliver high-quality educational support, encompassing best practice, policy, and procedure, to teams.
Support clinical teams and colleagues to monitor the quality of patient care provided.
Develop a culture of person-centred care within a multidisciplinary team environment.
Be highly visible within the clinical environment, communicating regularly with clinical leads.
Identify opportunities to develop the quality of care and services by ensuring effective systems are in place.
Support critical appraisal and synthesis of relevant research, evaluations, and audits.
Be proactive in seeking patient views and ensuring feedback is valued and acted upon.
Act as a positive role model, creating a supportive ethos to empower staff.
Positively influence the way care is given in a manner that is open and responds to individual needs.
Act in accordance with the Nursing & Midwifery Council Code.
Promote a positive image of nursing and midwifery internally and externally.
Support the embedding of a culture of continuous quality improvement.
Be an effective leader of change.
Take all reasonable care of health and safety at work for self, team, and others.
Support the learning and development of all staff, leading on the development of educational resources.
Deliver educational sessions to support quality improvement work.
Create a learning environment that ensures effective learning opportunities for staff and students.
Utilize appropriate Trust policies, procedures, and guidelines.
Network with peers, promoting the exchange of knowledge, skills, and resources.
Attend and participate in professional forums and disseminate information.
Work in partnership with clinicians and managers in the planning and development of quality workstreams.
Support the development and implementation of the Quality Framework and other relevant organizational strategies.
Seek opportunities for personal and team development, supporting the organization's research agenda.
Develop and maintain a working knowledge of local, national, and professional strategy and policy.
Demonstrate the ability to contribute to policy and strategy at team, organizational, and national levels.