Responsibilities include delivering personalized care, participating in risk assessments, monitoring vital signs, and assisting with personal care needs. The position also requires collaboration with a multidisciplinary team to ensure high-quality care and patient advocacy while adhering to national guidelines. The Trust offers opportunities for professional growth through training and supervision, aiming to enhance nursing skills related to both physical and mental health care management.
Would you like to be part of a team that supports mental health patients or those experiencing psychological distress at St Thomas' hospital?
We are seeking confident, caring , compassionate, responsive and recovery focused individuals with excellent communication skills to provide care and support to patients identified as needing therapeutic engagement and observation in our emergency department and across the hospital wards.
You be required to demonstrate the ability to act calmly in challenging situations and form positive therapeutic relationships with patients. In return you will be supported daily by experienced senior mental health nurses and you will have the opportunity to develop your skills and knowledge through in-house training, regular supervision and reflective sessions.
You will also have the opportunity to further develop nursing skills in managing both the physical and mental health care of patients with an understanding of the interface between the two.
If you have applied or interviewed for this post in the last 3 months and not been successful your application will not be considered.
Closing Date: 24th November 2024 at Midnight
Interview Date: 4th December 2024
The Mental Health Enhanced Care Team provide therapeutic interventions towards maintaining safety, reducing agitation, distress, promoting mental health wellbeing and recovery for patients identified as having a mental health support need while awaiting treatment/assessment or transfer to mental health services.
Our criteria for enhanced care involvement includes persons with acute mental illness, experiencing psychological distress, drug/alcohol intoxication, acute confusion likely to wander/abscond and deemed at risk of harm to themselves or others.
The role of the enhanced care nursing assistants involves working under the direction of a registered professional to participate in the development and maintenance of high quality patient care ;
Providing 1:1 engagement and observation to therapeutic engagement with patients
Providing activities where appropriate
Supporting with personal care needs,
Clinical observations
Continually assessing needs/risks and communicating these to relevant other members of the multidisciplinary team in accordance with the mental health care plan and least restrictive principles.
About us
Clinical Duties
*To therapeutically engage with patients who have a mental health condition or are experiencing psychological distress.
*To always deliver care in accordance with the principles of least restriction and in line with national guidance including NICE guidelines for managing disturbed behaviour
*To understand continuous risk assessment of the patient and escalate any increase in risk.
*To identify when patients are experiencing anxiety/distress and therapeutically engage with them to alleviate these symptoms.
*To identify escalation of risk and actively de-escalate the situation.
*To undertake therapeutic activities with the patient, that are appropriate to their presentation.
*To identify an issue that prevents the therapeutic engagement of the patient
*Provide excellent customer care skills to ensure patients come first.
*Undertakes a range of delegated clinical care duties to deliver agreed plans of care, acting on own initiative.
*To ensure that patients receive high quality clinical care and a good patient experience, having regard for their customs, religious beliefs and doctrines.
*Recognise and avoid situations that may be detrimental to the health and wellbeing of the individuals.
*To act as an advocate for patients within the department, to ensure a patient orientated approach to the delivery of care and to meet standards within the NHS Plan and other relevant guidelines.
*Provides support and assistance to professionals in the implementation of plans of care for individual patients.
*Assist with fluid and dietary needs of patients including completion of menu cards and recording intake and output of fluids and solids
*As directed to collect specimens from patients and to record routine observations of weight, blood pressure, temperature, pulse, respiratory rate. Report any abnormalities and concerns to a Registered Nurse
*Recognise when patients are in pain and discomfort and report to nurse in charge
*Under the direction of trained staff maintain and develop own skills including :
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- Monitoring and recording of vital signs to include blood pressure
- Simple, aseptic dressings including removal of sutures, clips and venflons
- Monitoring and recording of blood glucose levels
- Oxygen Saturations
*To respond appropriately to clinical emergencies to ensure the patient receives appropriate and safe care
*To undertake physical interventions (restraint) as a last resort only.
*To assist the Registered Nurse with the safe handling and mobilisation of patients and when necessary to assist in the transportation of patients.
*To chaperone patients to other clinical departments, following assessment by a registered nurse, to maintain patient safety
*Ensure own actions help to maintain quality
*To respond to patient requests for non-clinical information to improve communication.
*Understand and adhere to all Trust polices, guidelines and procedures in particular, Health and Safety, Fire Safety, Waste Management and Resuscitation policies to maintain a safe working environment for patients and staff.
Please see attached job description for full details
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