SU Registered Nurse

Specialist Substance Use Nurse Role Profile

WHAT I AM ACCOUNTABLE FOR:

• Delivery of high quality, safe and effective clinical substance use interventions and procedures within my level of training and competency;
• Supporting/managing a caseload of complex service users;
• Undertaking comprehensive assessments of substance use needs (including assessing dependency and withdrawal) and development of clinical care plans;
• Administrating medication safely in line with PGD;
• Ensuring the safe management of medically assisted community alcohol detoxes in line with policy;
• Ensuring service users receive high quality harm reduction interventions (e.g. naloxone, BBV testing);
• Targeting clinical and harm reduction interventions to support in the achievement of clinical key performance indicators;
• Ensuring clinical checks (including housekeeping checks) are completed in line with policy;
• Supporting with clinical audit activities within my service;
• Supporting the development and effective use of physical and mental health pathways;
• Retaining all required competencies and revalidation; 
• Supporting the training and continuous professional development of colleagues within my service;
• Effective and timely communication with colleagues within my service and with partner agencies;
• Ensuring a high standard of case notes and that all paperwork and recording is undertaken in accordance with
• Turning Point policy and procedure;
• Effectively safeguarding service users, staff and others.
  

HOW I OPERATE:

• I am empathetic, genuine and human in all my interactions with people;
• I work together with others to get the best possible outcomes;
• I put the people we support at the heart of everything I do;
• I treat others with respect, actively listen and embrace others' points of view;
• I seek and give constructive feedback
• I maintain professional boundaries and present a professional image at all times;
• I actively seek opportunities to develop myself;
• I take ownership and accountability for my actions and decisions.
  

WHAT I NEED:

Essential:

• RMN or RGN at degree level (or equiv.) with current NMC Registration and evidence of CPD;
• Demonstrable understanding of the substance use sector and health issues relating to substance use (including mental health);
• Experience of contribution to effective and safe care plans and discharge plans;
• Experience in reporting, reflecting and learning from incidents

Desirable:

• Experience of clinical leadership and clinical supervision;
• Experience working in substance use sector

Role Expectations

PEOPLE:

• Delivering person centred clinical interventions with compassion and care for the people we support;
• Delivering high quality, safe and effective clinical interventions within my competency and training which deliver excellent/high standards of care;
• Working as part of a multi-disciplinary team with colleagues including providing cover for planned and unplanned absences;
• Actively participate in multi-disciplinary team meetings and other service meetings;
• Effective and collaborative communication with colleagues;
• Thorough and timely communication with partner agencies e.g. GPs, safeguarding;
• Support the recruitment and retention of a high-quality nursing team through mentoring student nurses, providing preceptorship to newly qualified nurses and mentoring/supporting HCAs and Nurse Associates;
• Actively participate in preceptorship if newly qualified into nursing or havent completed a preceptorship elsewhere;
• Actively engaging in your own supervision, Ongoing Personal Review, Personal Development Planning and Continuous Professional Development;
• Support Senior Nurses, Clinical Services Manager, Clinical Lead and Senior Clinical Team in service and policy developments;
• Representing Turning Point and Turning Points organisational values at meetings and events;
• Ensuring an environment free from discrimination;
• Prioritising safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults and escalating any concerns.
  

PROCESS:

• Deliver substance use interventions and clinical procedures in line with level of training and competence (e.g. ECGs, phlebotomy, fibro scans, BBV testing and vaccinations, Pabrinex injections);
• Support in the delivery of pharmacological and psychosocial interventions including assessments, care planning and review of service user's treatment, 1:2:1 and group interventions;
• Hold a case load of service users with a degree of complexity;
• Conduct assessments of physical dependency using a symptomatic withdrawal scale, using results to determine safe induction/titration to opiate substitute treatments as required;
• Complete clinical risks and needs assessments and support the implementation of management plans and support others in doing so;
• Report all incidents using datix to support learning;
• Support in analysis of incident trends and in service user mortality review processes;
• Completion of clinical audits including supporting with medicine optimisation and cost effectiveness;
• Use of data and reports to target clinical and harm reduction interventions to ensure achievement of clinical key performance indicators;
• High quality record keeping for service users in treatment;
• Follow all information governance guidance and policies;
• Maintain confidentiality as outlined within data protection policies;
• Ensure Health and safety standards are maintained;
• Maintain NMC nursing standards.