Diabetes Specialist Nurse

1. Clinical Practices To provide an expert diabetes specialist nursing service. Particularly being able to critically evaluate processes of care and then assist with the provision of innovative solutions. To provide expert nursing advice and support to patients, their families and other healthcare professionals following diagnosis and through treatment, particularly complex clinical needs of those with acute illnesses who have been admitted for inpatient care. To provide an expert specialist nursing service to patients, this may include initiating and supporting patients on insulin pump therapy, continuous glucose monitoring, and with patient education such as DAFNE depending on experience. To provide expert nursing advice and support to patients, their families and other healthcare professionals following diagnosis and through treatment, to ensure continuity of a high standard of evidence based nursing care, assessing health, health related and nursing needs of patients, their families and other carers by identifying and initiating appropriate steps for effective care.

This can include

Managing a patient caseload Ordering diagnostic tests Making and receiving referrals Co-ordination of the admission of and discharge of patients for specified conditions Developing agreed protocols Running clinics To accept responsibility for own patient caseload, ensuring all patients have an accurate plan of care, which reflects the assessment undertaken and incorporates the issues and recommendations made ensuring clear documentation in the patients records and hand held records To be actively involved in in-patient care, liaising with ward staff to ensure high quality nursing care, and safe and timely discharge. To help co-ordinate a seamless service through the development of enhanced Multidisciplinary team (MDT) processes and communication To lead the identification and development of clinical protocols and strategies to enhance both the continuity and standard of specialist care. To ensure operational policies are reviewed annually in accordance with national standards To ensure all care is given in accordance with agreed protocols. 2. Management To be involved in the development of policies and protocols to improve patient care. To liaise effectively with other disciplines within the Trust and at community level. To contribute to any relevant initiatives within the care group and provide support to senior colleagues and Heads of Nursing. To assist in the resolution of conflicts within the clinical area, resolving informal complaints locally and assisting in the investigation of and response to formal complaints as required. To work with and support clinical staff to identify areas where changes in practice are required. To be involved in the introduction of measures to manage and reduce risk to patients. Ensure the formal reporting and recoding of adverse incidents in line with Trust policy. To network with the team of clinical nurse specialists within the Trust and with KCH to evaluate, develop and promote the specialist nursing role. To maintain records and send reports set by various bodies pertaining to the diabetes speciality. To maintain contemporaneous and accurate treatment records, submitting relevant statistics, reports and activity data as requested. To ensure compliance with the Trust's Equality and Diversity Policy, supporting the delivery of the Trusts Race Equality Scheme and the Trust's duty to positively promote race equality and equality of opportunity for disabled people ensuring services are responsive to the needs of equality groups. 3. Education and Research To provide information for clients, carers and heath professional about all aspects of specialist care To ensure appropriate information and educational literature is available to help patients make informed choices as to their treatment plan and continuing management developing and regularly updating literature To contribute to the development of nursing practice within the team. To work with and support ward managers and other clinical staff to identify areas where changes to practice are required. Also where opportunities exist to improve treatment and support for inpatients. To actively participate and co-ordinate educational events provided by the Trust and primary care sector To attend meetings and conferences as appropriate ensuring that the post holder is fully conversant with current issues both within the Trust and within the specialist services locally and nationally To be involved in nursing research initiatives and support research activity within individual Care Groups and also through collaboration with other agencies To identify, apply and disseminate research findings relating to diabetes specialist nursing To participate and assist with any Trust approved research projects conducted within the department To publish and present relevant clinical practice and service developments. 4. Personal Professional Development To achieve a range of clinical competencies as required within the Trust and Care Group. To keep up-to-date with current literature and research in nursing and the speciality. To maintain your own personal and professional development in accordance with revalidation requirements, attending mandatory study sessions as required. To undergo and actively participate in your own performance appraisals To keep up to date with NMC, relevant specialist Faculty & Trust guidelines and protocols. To adhere to the NMC Code of Professional conduct working within and accepting responsibility for maintaining agreed levels of competence. General The post holder has a general duty of care for their own health, safety and wellbeing and that of work colleagues, visitors and patients within the hospital, in addition to any specific risk management or clinical governance accountabilities associated with this post. To observe the rules, policies, procedures and standards of King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trust together with all relevant statutory and professional obligations. We want to be an organisation where everyone shares a commitment to delivering the very best care and feels like their contribution is valuable and valued. At Kings we are a kind, respectful team: Kind. We show compassion and understanding and bring a positive attitude to our work Respectful. We promote equality, are inclusive and honest, speaking up when needed Team. We support each other, communicate openly, and are reassuringly professional To observe and maintain strict confidentiality of personal information relating to patients and staff. To be responsible, with management support, for their own personal development and to actively contribute to the development of colleagues. This job description is intended as a guide to the general scope of duties and is not intended to be definitive or restrictive. It is expected that some of the duties will change over time and this description will be subject to review in consultation with the post holder. All employees must hold an 'nhs.net' email account which will be the Trust's formal route for email communication. Everyone is responsible for promoting inclusion no matter their role or team. At Kings, we want to create an environment where everyone feels valued, respected and welcomed Safe Guarding The Trust takes the issues of Safeguarding Children, Adults and addressing Domestic Abuse very seriously. All employees have a responsibilityto support the organisation in our duties by; attending mandatory training on safeguarding children and adults familiarising themselves with the Trust's processes for reporting concerns reportingany safeguarding child or adult concerns appropriately Infection Control Statement The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene procedures and requirements when in clinical areas. The post holder has an important responsibility for and contribution to make to infection control and must be familiar with the infection control and hygiene requirements of this role. These requirements are set out in the National Code of Practice on Infection Control and in local policies and procedures which will be made clear during your induction and subsequent refresher training. These standards must be strictly complied with at all times.