Specialist Palliative Care Nurse

The post-holder is expected to operate autonomously at an advanced level of clinical practice providing evidence based expert palliative care and advice to all colleagues. To provide holistic specialist palliative care nursing assessment of patients and carers with highly complex needs, identifying priorities of care, implementing strategies in order to give this care and evaluation to ensure the maintenance of clinical excellence. To utilise clinical assessment skills and non-medical prescribing as required. To provide education, information and advice to patients, their relatives and carers acting as the patients advocate where appropriate. To provide psychosocial support utilising advanced communication skills, particularly at times of high distress or heightened emotional response, e.g. at times of diagnosis, at a time of recurrence and managing last few days of life. Influencing clinical practice, indirectly with the provision of education, information and advice, to providers of generalist palliative care. To participate in MDT, GSF and SPCN meetings as a core member of the specialist palliative care team contributing to the MDT discussion/patient assessment/care planning. Identify those adults and children at risk of complicated grief and plan care as appropriate.