Diabetes Specialist Nurse

All duties caring for patients with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and their complex needs.

Please refer to the Job Description and Person Specification.

3. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POST

3.1 Clinical Duties

Deliver direct expert nursing care in diabetes for both outpatients and inpatients across both acute sites.Demonstrate highly specialist knowledge and skills through nursing practice.Maintain own expert levels of clinical competence.Promote and facilitate research and evidence based practice in Diabetes Nursing.To lead in establishing, implementation and monitoring of nursing practice guidelines, standards, policies and protocols/care pathways.Maintain a high profile in the clinical area, acting as a role model for other health care professionals.Be aware of ethical and legal issues.To use advanced clinical skill and knowledge, including nurse prescribing, to meet the complex needs for patients requiring level 5 care.To act as an autonomous, registered practitioner who is legally and professionally accountable for own unsupervised actions guided by the professional code of conduct and Trust guidelines and protocols.To ensure practice is supported by research, evidence based practice, literature and peer review.

3.2 Professional Duties

Act as a role model for quality nursing care at all times, promoting the need for effective evidence based interventions.Act as patient advocate at all points of the care pathway.Work within the NMC Code of Conduct at all times.Adhere to national, local and professional standards, guidance and directives relevant to their sphere of practice.

3.3 Clinical Governance/ Quality

Ensure compliance with policies, procedures and clinical guidelines for self and others and participate in the development of the same.Continually monitor standards of care and contribute in the improvement of care through benchmarking, Clinical Audit and Research.Support and facilitate research evidence- based practice in the specialist area.Disseminate good practice by pursuing opportunities to present work at national conferences, MDT meetings and journal publications.Promote patient and public involvement activities in the specialist area leading to service improvement. Promote people’s equality, diversity and rights.Identify clinical issues and incidents within the Trust that reduce the quality of care within the specialist services.Take part in activities to counter these to ensure the delivery of safe and effective care.

3.4 Education/Training Takes responsibility for own continuing professional development and performance, including identifying own development needs and maintain own portfolio.Participates in supervision and the teaching of pre-post registration students, new staff members and junior medical staff.Provide education and training related to the specialitySupport the ward/development sister in ensuring the clinical environment is conducive to effective learning.Complete all the mandatory training as per the trust requirements.

3.3 Managerial Duties

To deputise when required in the team managers absence and delegate appropriately.Ensure adherence to all Trust-wide protocols, policies and directive within service delivery.Participate in service review and development alongside diabetes service leads and management team.To work closely with members of the Trust’s management team and other appropriate health and social professionals to co-ordinate, influence and develop diabetes services within and across the primary, secondary care settings, in line with local, network and national guidance and standards.Work with other appropriate professionals to ensure holistic, comprehensive nursing assessment, care planning, care delivery and referral mechanisms are in place to support patients at appropriate points of their care pathway, ensuring advice and information is available to both patients and carers.Working closely with all diabetes service multi-disciplinary team members (and wider team members), to ensure effective communication with other appropriate services, patients and carers takes place in a timely and effective way.To act as a role model for other nurses caring for patients with diabetes, establishing positive and credible professional leadership and be involved in mentoring and education of staff.Support the Trust’s aims and objectives around service delivery and achieving targets.Work closely with the appropriate ward sisters/charge nurses and matron to influence and promote the nursing service and care provision for patients accessing diabetes services.Attend regular relevant meetings (internal and external) and provide effective channels of communication within the team.Maintain a flexible approach and develop the role according to needs.Participate in and promote patient and public involvement in diabetes services.Ensure all documentation is produced and completed within Trust-wide policy/guidelines.

3.4 Managing Self

Participate in regular supervision.Attend all mandatory training. Participate annually identifying, developing and agreeing your own development plan with your Line Manager using the Trust Appraisal.Comply with all Trust policies, procedures and protocols.Carry out duties with due regard to the Trust’s Equal Opportunity Policy.Seek advice and support from Line Manager whenever necessary.Maintain professional conduct including appearance at all times.Ensure maintenance of Professional Registration.

This job description is an outline only and is not definitive or restrictive in any way. It will be regularly reviewed and may be amended in the light of changing circumstances following consultation with the post holder