Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner for SoNAR

Band 8a

Main area: Neonatal Critical Care Transport

Grade: Band 8a

Contract: Permanent

Hours: 37.5 hours per week (Nights, days, weekends.)

Job ref: 387-WC5290-DA

Site: SoNAR SWR Base, Unit 30 Quadrant Trading Estate, Town: Bristol

Salary: £53,755 - £60,504 pa or pro rata

Salary period: Yearly

Closing: 25/02/:59

As an organisation, we recognise the value of a healthy work-life balance. When applying, speak to us about how we might be able to accommodate flexible working, so your work life fits around your home life.

We particularly welcome applications from Black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates as they are under-represented within the Trust.

This is an exciting opportunity for an experienced and enthusiastic Advanced Neonatal Nurse Practitioner to join our well-established, dynamic and innovative regional transport team on a transport training post. Southwest Neonatal Advice and Retrieval (SoNAR) is the neonatal transport service covering the South West Neonatal Network (ODN) from two bases, one in Plymouth and one in Bristol. This post is operating out of the Northern base in Bristol, in Aztec West.

The region has a birth rate of over 45,000 deliveries per year. SoNAR runs 24 hours a day and undertakes approximately 1200 journeys per year. This includes acute uplift transfers and repatriations between the 12 neonatal units in the region as well as transfers to the Bristol Children's Hospital. The transport team is able to undertake therapeutic hypothermia, delivery of Nitric Oxide and High Frequency Oscillation Ventilation during transfer. The SoNAR team undertakes road and aeromedical transfers, and is an established clinical partner with The Children's Air Ambulance. The service is hosted by UHBW NHS Trust.

Main duties of the job

The successful applicant would be expected to have excellent clinical knowledge to support technical and non-technical tasks, as well as excellent communication skills in order to coordinate and undertake the stabilisation and transfer of infants. This includes the coordination of advice calls to assist in the clinical decision making of referring hospital staff, as well as the triaging of transport workload and other transport team responsibilities. There is also the opportunity for additional role development and areas of interest, such as governance, education and training, and research. Effective team working is central to the SoNAR ethos; the support and development of colleagues through role-modelling, coaching, and team leadership is key.

• Work within the SoNAR team as an advanced practitioner taking a lead role in the transportation of sick infants to local and regional centres.
• Coordinate and lead the stabilisation and retrieval of extremely ill infants accompanied by a neonatal nurse.
• Critically assess ventilation, drug and fluid requirements prior to and during transportation and modify the management as required.
• Initiate & assume responsibility for the immediate expert, critical and on-going management of sick infants and their families, and have freedom to interpret and act within broad policies and protocols.
• Practice autonomously, for potentially extended periods of time in remote transport settings.

Working for our organisation

University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW) is one of the largest acute Trusts in the country, bringing together a combined workforce of over 13,000 staff and over 100 different clinical services across 10 different sites, serving a core population of more than 500,000 people across South West England. UHBW has been rated by the CQC as 'Good' overall and our staff are proud to deliver excellent care to the people of Bristol, Weston and beyond. As a forward-thinking multi-award winning Trust and a digital exemplar committed to improving patient care, our world-leading research and innovations are having a positive local and global impact. Our hospitals are spread across Bristol and Weston, join us and you can enjoy the very best of both worlds; city living within a stone's throw of the countryside or beside the seaside, both with easy access to all that the South West has to offer.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities

For a more detailed job description, main responsibilities, and person specification, please refer to the job description document attached to this vacancy.

Person specification

• Leadership qualities, including being a good role model.
• Ability to work both independently and well within a small team.
• Able to articulate advanced practice and professional accountability.
• Flexibility and ability to cover shift patterns including nights and weekends.
• Vision to develop the transport service.
• Ability to formulate long term strategic plans to develop the service across the organisation.

Knowledge and experience

• Previous experience in relevant intensive care.
• Extensive post advanced practice training.
• Experience working at equivalent to Tier 2.
• Demonstrate leadership skills and knowledge.
• Evidence of excellent clinical reasoning and decision-making.
• Independent prescribing experience.
• Experience of teaching, assessing and mentoring.
• Experience in audit, research and policy development.

Skills and Abilities

• Ability to plan, organise and prioritise own work, and work of others.
• Good problem solving ability and skills.
• Assertive and proactive.
• Excellent advanced clinical skills.
• Evidence of ability to use initiative, lead a team and manage change.
• Ability to manage effectively when under pressure.
• Excellent interpersonal communication, and time management skills.
• Self-motivated and able to motivate others.
• Good computer skills and able to use windows based programmes.
• Ability to manage conflicts and interpersonal tensions.

Qualifications and Training

• RSCN Part 8 / RN (Child Branch) RN, RM.
• Post basic certificate or related study in critical care.
• Degree/Masters in Advanced Practice.
• Independent non-medical prescribing.
• Neonatal / Paediatric Resuscitation course.

We hope that you will decide to join us and become part of this exciting journey, helping us to shape our future together.