Nursing & Rehab Assistant inWakefield inWakefield PUBLISHED 1 DEC 2023

Clinical duties/patient contact

• Use technical and creative skills to engage patients in therapeutic activities and exercise programmes to promote their rehabilitation, independence and well-being.
• Demonstrate the use of mobility aids and teach the use such aids where appropriate.
• Adjust aids as necessary.
• Within set protocols, facilitate and where necessary instruct in planned group work.
• Work with patients on individual activities, providing ongoing continuous assessment and adjust own clinical interventions based on the fluctuating needs of the patient.
• Under the guidance of a registered therapist or nurse contribute to formal therapy assessments and provide detailed written and verbal feedback on the patients therapeutic functioning and progress.
• Review and follow care and treatment plans and assist in the implementation, evaluation and modification of therapy and team interventions.
• Under guidance of a registered therapist or nurse provide a range of activities and exercises, instructing and guiding patients to support them achieving identified therapy goals.
• Work effectively as a member of the therapy and nursing team to undertake delegated tasks to contribute to the safe and smooth running of the service.
• With guidance from nursing and therapy staff, be responsible for planning and prioritising own day to day allocated workload.
• Use analytical skills to assess and make judgements on patient ability e.g. with mobility, progression of exercises and providing aids, whilst working within health and safety policy.
• Facilitate and attend access and home visits as appropriate.
• Demonstrate highly developed physical skills of dexterity, co-ordination and sensory skills for manual treatment of patients.
• Ensure appropriate and safe manual handling at all times and highlight concerns when this is not being adhered to.
• Be able to recognise changes to a patients condition and report to an appropriate professional.
• Following training and assessment of competency perform and assist patients with bowel and bladder management and record the results and escalate any concerns to the nursing team.
• Utilise knowledge in the prevention of pressure ulcers and risk assessment tools such as Purpose T and SSKIN documentation. Use prescribed pressure reliving equipment appropriately.
• Support, enable and assist patients to actively participate in their rehabilitation programme created by the multidisciplinary team and encourage and promote physical or verbal independence in all aspects of their care.
• Deliver direct care to patients.
• To support patients with hygiene needs.
• To support patients with nutritional needs.

Communication

• Use a range of verbal and non-verbal communication and active listening skills to establish a professional rapport with patients and encourage their interest and participation in the therapy intervention by communicating with them in a way that reflects their views, autonomy and culture.
• Adapt own verbal and non-verbal communication in order to work with service users in sensitive situations.
• Modify individual interaction where there may be difficulties with understanding for reasons such as physical or psychological impairment or language barriers.
• Communicate effectively with the multidisciplinary team regarding patients performance and progress in their rehabilitation.
• Understand and act appropriately on written and verbal instruction from a registered therapist or nurse to carry out specific treatment and interventions.
• Maintain confidentiality in line with Trust policies and procedures.
• To gain and record consent prior to each intervention with a patient and prior to sharing information with others.

Organisational

• Ensure that treatment areas are well maintained in order to comply with health and safety guidelines, infection control policy and facilitate the safe use of equipment and storage of materials.
• Following relevant training is able to demonstrate the safe and effective use of therapy equipment for use by both patients and staff.
• Report any health and safety issues to relevant person.
• Ensure equipment is safe to use and cleaned in line with Trust policies, this includes wheelchairs, walking aids and equipment used to increase independence.

Documentation

• Accurately complete specific referral and assessment forms as required by the needs of the service e.g. wheelchair and community therapy team referrals.
• Have IT skills to be able to use word-processing, email and access electronic databases e.g. System One.
• Complete nursing and therapy notes taking relevant information from referral forms and medical records.
• Personal Development and Training
• In line with the Trust and departmental guidelines, review and reflect on your own practice and performance through regular participation in professional supervision, competencies and appraisal.
• Participate in the induction, training and education of students and other staff in areas of responsibility under guidance from the qualified staff.
• Act as a resource for advice on therapy and care issues in the absence of registered therapy staff in line with own competence and scope of practice.
• Identify own learning needs and take responsibility to ensure these are addressed by actively participating in learning opportunities as agreed.
• Be responsible for maintaining own knowledge and standards of practice in line with Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Nursing and Trust guidelines, including new ways of working and changes to practice.
• Ensure compliance with all mandatory and appropriate specialist training.
• Recognise own limitations and seek support as required.
• Actively contribute to the implementation of the nursing and therapy team service plan and ward objectives.
• Participate in specific projects or departmental working parties as directed by the ward manager or senior therapist.
• Participate in nursing, therapy and team audit and evaluation activities as agreed and directed by the team leader or ward manager.
• Identify and contribute ideas for service improvement to meet the demands of the wider trust and improve efficiency and patient experience.

Yorkshire Regional Spinal Injuries Centre (YRSIC) is one of 12 specialist spinal injury centres in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

It is a 32 bedded unit with a large catchment area, treating both male and female patients of all age groups from Yorkshire, Humberside and beyond. Our catchment area covers a population of over 7 million and we admit approximately 120 newly injured patients each year.

The post holder will be a valuable part of an integrated multi-disciplinary team who provide effective patient centred care to the spinally injured patient.

They will providing expert tailored treatment, advice, consultation, support and guidance to patients, carers and referring trusts whilst working as a highly skilled expert practitioner liaising within multi-professional teams to promote and provide seamless pathways of care. The post holder will work closely with consultants and senior staff to manage patients appropriately and gain support and advice to ensure continuity of care.

At YRSIC we are excited to offer nursing positions for newly qualified and experienced nurses. We are committed to support new members of staff to ensure they feel confident and enjoy working as part of our team. You will be given the time and support to build your confidence whilst learning how to care for spinal cord injury patients. Additionally, you will provided with a buddy on every shift during your supernumerary status to ensure you feel supported and welcomed as part of our team.

The YRSIC offers specialised rehabilitation to people with a spinal cord injury leading to neurological deficit.

The YRSIC provides care to people who have sustained damage to the spinal cord at any level resulting in a change, either temporary or permanent, in the normal motor, sensory or autonomic function of the spinal cord as a consequence of injury or disease.

We are committed to providing life-long care to spinally injured patients. Consequently, healthcare provision is accessible in the event of necessary re-admission for those who have developed complications of spinal cord injury or for those who require further rehabilitation.

We provide a dedicated multidisciplinary team of the following services: Medical, Nursing, Physiotherapy, Occupational Therapy, Clinical Psychology

The main duties within the job role are caring holistically for patients with spinal injuries, we admit directly from the main trauma centres, accepting a wide range of patients with a mixture of acute spinal injuries.

We also accepted patients back for further rehab, Urological surgeries, Pressure ulcer repairs, Intrathecal pump insertion and continued care

The team are very passionate and dedicated to providing care to Spinal Cord Injuries and you will be made to feel very much part of our MDT who display the values and behaviours of the Trust, working together to ensure one another is supported.