Breast Advanced Nurse Practitioner

Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Liverpool University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust Breast & Endocrine Surgery Service is recruiting two Advanced Nurse Practitioners to work within the Specialist Nursing Team and alongside the Surgical Team in the diagnosis and management of patients with breast disease.

You will be joining a well-established nursing team which currently includes seven experienced Advanced Breast Nurse Practitioners and twelve Macmillan Clinical Nurse Specialists. The successful applicant will be instrumental in the provision of diagnostic, surveillance and follow-up services, working both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team. Ideally, the successful candidate will possess advanced clinical and communication skills and will be able to demonstrate a sound understanding of the issues related to breast disease. While those who already have the requisite skills will be welcome to apply, further postgraduate and in-house training will be available and the successful candidate will be provided with any educational support needed. There are several Nurse Led services provided by the nursing team. The ANPs are a vital member of the MDT and are pivotal in both the diagnostic services and follow-up clinics. These are permanent full-time positions, 37.5 hours per week, across the Breast Units in both Aintree and Royal Liverpool Hospitals.

Main duties of the job

Assist the development of Breast Care Services in collaboration with members of the multi-disciplinary team in line with local and national initiatives. Promote and assist the development of clinical practice, education, and research through collaborative partnerships with higher educational institutions. Improve patient care and nursing practice based on evidence-based practice in Breast Care Nursing. Act as a resource for patients referred to the Trust and their families. Actively participate in delivery of education for nurses and other professions allied to medicine. Take a key role in the initiation of nursing research programmes, in partnership with the University Departments. Establish and develop liaison with clinical services involved in patients' care. Provide the initiative to establish advanced nursing practice and empower team members to adopt new skills to continue to advance the role of nursing within the Breast Unit and to offer a range of skilled interventions. Act as a catalyst for change.

Job responsibilities

Work as an autonomous and independent practitioner only seeking advice from senior medical colleagues where necessary. Develop and promote advanced nursing practices to improve access to care, clinical care, and patient experiences of care. Act as an information resource for patients and family. Participate in the development of Care Pathways and Guidelines written for use within the Breast unit. Write new protocols developed for breast nurse practitioner practice. Be expert in knowledge and understanding of Breast Cancer and benign breast disorders, diagnoses, and treatments. Provide service for vetting of >100 new patient referrals per week which entails decisions around urgency and appropriateness of referrals for breast services, clinical need of patient, and planned radiological investigations. Establish and maintain nurse-led clinics within hospital and nurse-led follow-up care in the community, i.e., family history clinic and breast cancer home visits. Possess excellent interviewing and communication/counselling skills. This may include counselling in situations of bereavement or breaking bad news. Enhance effective partnerships with a range of services in primary care and the voluntary sector to ensure continuity of care and optimum access to support services. Be expert in assessment of genetic risk associated with Breast Cancer. Collect familial information by questionnaire from patients. Use relevant knowledge of cancer inheritance theory and devise and analyse pedigree for all new patients to family history clinic. Liaise with the Clinical Genetics department and attend joint clinics. Record patients' clinical history. Carry out clinical examination and patient assessment in order to establish a breast diagnosis. Arrange appropriate follow-up or discharge. Assess the need for patients to undergo clinical investigations and order same in line with Trust protocols (and Nurse Practitioner protocols as above). Be responsible for the recording and interpretation of patients' investigation results and discuss the results and their implications with the patient. Perform complex invasive procedures, i.e., core biopsies, FNA, and punch biopsies according to nurse practitioner written protocols. Be competent in seroma assessment and drainage. Provide a nurse practitioner service in the following areas of breast disease: Rapid diagnostic services to assess, diagnose, plan treatment and discharge patients, providing written resources where applicable. Breast Follow-up services for benign and malignant conditions, discharging patients as per agreed breast unit protocols.

Person Specification Qualifications

• First-level Registered Nurse
• Evidence of continuing study
• Masters Study
• Counselling Certificate or relevant post-registration Cancer Nursing qualification
• A recognised qualification in cancer or Breast Care nursing e.g. ENB A11 or ENB N09 or equivalent

Experience

• Substantial post-registration experience with demonstrable experience within Breast Cancer Care
• Experience in Audit
• Multi-disciplinary team working
• Clinical Management experience at Band 6 or above
• Team Player - experience of working in a multidisciplinary team.
• Non-medical prescribing/experience with patient group directives

Knowledge

• Ability to assess genetic risk associated with breast cancer
• Good knowledge of breast cancer and benign breast disorders
• Ability to carry out breast clinical examination
• An understanding of contemporary issues in the clinical care of patients with Breast Cancer.
• Knowledge of research methodology
• A clear understanding of current national cancer policy and the implications for practice and the development of Breast Cancer services.
• An understanding of professional nursing issues in Breast nursing and the wider nursing agenda

Skills

• Enhanced communication/counselling skills
• The ability to motivate, inspire and support a multi-professional team.
• The ability to communicate effectively in clinical and professional settings
• Basic IT /Computer Skills
• Competence in complex invasive procedures in line with protocols.
• Clinical Skills course/training

Other

• Ability to initiate, develop and maintain professional networks.
• The ability to work effectively under pressure and meet targets and goals
• Exemplary ethical and professional standards, resilience, enthusiasm, resourcefulness

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.