Complex Discharge Specialist Nurse

An opportunity has arisen for a highly motivated individual to join the Complex Discharge Team at CUH as a Band 6 Specialist Support Nurse. You will work within the ward environment alongside the multidisciplinary team liaising with community partners, patients, families, and carers to plan, facilitate and optimise complex patient discharges from the hospital.

You will be part of an existing team of Specialist Support Nurses, Clinical Nurse Specialists and Discharge Co-ordinators who currently support all adult inpatient areas across CUH. You will be part of a dedicated team working together to achieve the best possible outcomes for all our patients, keeping them at the centre of what we do.

You will work collaboratively with the multidisciplinary health and social care teams within both CUH and community teams to navigate the patients across pathways to ensure a safe discharge once deemed clinically fit for discharge. The Specialist Support Nurse will escalate issues with external organisations to prevent a delayed discharge through agreed escalation process. Negotiation with staff, services and patients will be a vital part of this role to ensure the patient journey is progressed appropriately and safely.

You will support ward professionals in agreeing the pathway for discharge from hospital in accordance with agreed policies and professional guidelines and complete onwards referrals for care support across all discharge pathways.

To work within the Complex Discharge Team providing a seven-day service including weekends & bank holidays assessing patients’ needs for a safe discharge. Working with health and social care teams, the post holder will agree the most appropriate pathway of care to support discharge from hospital.

To provide a proactive and continuous approach to complex discharge planning. This will involve the continual prioritization of workload to ensure all discharge cases are managed in a timely manner.

To consider “Home First” as the preferred Discharge Pathway, evidencing clearly rationale for any provision of bed-based care.

To communicate with patients and their families/carers from admission regarding discharge planning. This will include taking patient history regarding social circumstances, establishing with the patient their wishes post-discharge and signposting and referring to relevant services.

To provide relevant and accurate information to patients and their families regarding discharge plans in a timely way enabling them to make informed decisions regarding discharge plans.

To provide sign posting information to patients and their carers regarding external services i.e. Voluntary sector

To obtain feedback from patients regarding their experience about the discharge planning process to inform the development of discharge processes and prevention of poor future discharges.

Act as an effective MDT member in managing discharges and progress the patients’ journey.

• Registered nurse – with a minimum of 2 years ward based clinical experience
• Evidence of continuous professional development
• Teaching or mentoring qualification
• Post registration qualification in speciality or willingness to complete
• Demonstrate expert nursing skills
• Evidence of mentorship/preceptorship roles
• Accept personal accountability for own practice
• Experience of formal/informal teaching
• Understanding of evidence based practice
• Understanding of Clinical Governance
• Understanding and knowledge of specialist field
• Good verbal and written communication skills
• Capable of working as an integral member of a small team
• Adaptable to changing situations due to both workload and colleagues needs
• Ability to undertake teaching of staff and patients
• Ability to work unsupervised and manage own workload; effective time management.
• Effective interpersonal skills
• Commitment to multidisciplinary working.
• To act in a professional manner at all times in accordance with the NMC Code of Conduct
• Capable of developing liaisons with other practice areas/academic institutions.
• The ability to understand and behave at all times, towards patients, visitors and colleagues according to the Trust values of safe, kind, excellent.

• Degree
• Research Module
• Experience in a leadership role at ward level
• Assertiveness/perceptive counselling skills
• Documentation, audit and presentation skills
• Leadership skills

You must have appropriate UK professional registration.

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (Exceptions) Order 1975 (Amendment) (England and Wales) Order 2020 and it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service.