Tissue Viability Specialist Nurse

Job summary
The Tissue Viability Clinical Nurse Specialist is responsible for providing expert leadership and specialist clinical support across University Hospitals Northamptonshire to improve skin integrity, prevent pressure ulcers, and enhance outcomes for patients with complex wounds.

Main duties of the job
Key responsibilities include:

• Providing specialist assessment, treatment advice, and care planning for patients with complex wounds and tissue viability needs.
• Leading initiatives to prevent pressure ulcers, skin damage, and other avoidable tissue viability complications across the organisation.
• Acting as an expert clinical resource for nursing, medical, and multidisciplinary teams, offering guidance on wound management and dressing selection.
• Delivering education and training programmes to develop staff knowledge and competence in tissue viability and wound care.
• Providing visible clinical leadership, supporting best practice, quality improvement, and service development initiatives.
• Managing and supporting junior specialist nurses, including supervision, appraisal, coaching, and professional development.
• Undertaking audits, monitoring pressure ulcer prevalence and incidence, analysing data, and presenting findings to support service improvement and patient safety.
• Leading the development and implementation of policies, guidelines, care pathways, and evidence-based practice related to tissue viability.
• Participating in research, evaluation, and innovation projects to improve clinical outcomes and strengthen the evidence base for tissue viability care.
• Representing the Trust locally and nationally, promoting excellence in tissue viability services and supporting strategic organisational objectives.

About us
Please submit your application as soon as possible, as we reserve the right to close adverts once sufficient applications have been received.We recognise that AI tools can support application writing; however, candidates are asked to keep their use to a minimum. Responses should reflect your own experience, skills and knowledge, as over-reliance on AI-generated content may result in generic answers that do not accurately represent your abilities.University Hospitals of Northamptonshire (UHN) brings together Kettering General Hospital NHS Foundation Trust and Northampton General Hospital NHS Trust. As a group, we are committed to improving services for our communities through collaboration, modernising care delivery and striving for excellence. Working together enables us to share expertise, strengthen services and create greater opportunities, and there may be a requirement to work across sites depending on service needs.Our Excellence Values are Compassion, Accountability, Respect, Integrity and Courage. UHN welcomes applications from all backgrounds and is committed to an inclusive working environment. We are proud signatories of the Armed Forces Covenant and hold the Gold Award under the Employer Recognition Scheme. Candidates who identify as members of the Armed Forces community and meet the essential criteria will be guaranteed an interview.

Job responsibilities
Leadership
Provide expert clinical and professional advice and support to the multi-disciplinary team within theTrust and as appropriate within Primary care and other partner agencies.Provide clinical and professional leadership to support and inspire colleagues with regard to improving patient/client services in Tissue Viability and to support strategic planning of Tissue Viability service and the development of professional practice.
Monitor and record prevalence and incidence of patient pressure ulcersProactively lead the reduction of all types of skin damage (Category 4, 3, 2 & Unstageable pressure ulcers), Deep Tissue Injuries and Moisture-Associated Skin DamageProvide visible leadership and clinical expertise on the wards and departments 60% of the timeProactively develop innovative ways to promote skincare and reduce skin damage (recognising the need to utilise external opportunities to enhance knowledge & care)Educate and support staff to manage complex wounds
Contribute to Clinical Governance and Clinical Effectiveness agendas relating to Tissue Viability by setting, implementing and evaluating best practice guidelines in Tissue Viability, which improve patients care. These agendas may cross-organisational and professional boundaries.To contribute to the development of and actively participate in development of local strategic vision.Provide line management for Band 6 TVN Nurses/Continence Nurses and provide regular 1:1 meetings, appraisals and career development/coaching.Patient and Client Care DevelopmentsProvide and support an expert level of care to patients presenting with, or at risk of, compromised Tissue Viability. To include the assessment of patients, initiation of treatment, assessment of care delivered and the interpretation of investigations relating to wound care management.Ensure that referrals to the Tissue Viability Team are managed and prioritised within the service and where appropriate exercise referral rights to other specialties.Work in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary team and involve users of the service to gain their input to service development to ensure continuous improvement in patient care.
Advise and support on service developments/improvements that will be of benefit to patients, whilst assisting the Trust to meet objectives.Support the multi-disciplinary team in delivering patient care ensuring sound clinical and ethical decision-making in relation to Tissue Viability.Ensure that appropriate, consistent and realistic information is provided to patients and relatives.Actively participate in the delivery of clinical care for patients with compromised Tissue Viability, maintain clinical credibility and professional expertise.Assess, monitor and report clinical risks associated with Tissue Viability. Challenge own and others practice. Support the development and delivery of action plans to eliminate associated risks, evaluate outcomes of the same.At all times adhere to the Nursing and Midwifery (NMC), Code of Professional Conduct and local Trust policies, protocols and guidelines. Be actively involved in clinical supervision and peer review.Maintain clinical and professional credibility through personal and professional development as identified by the post holders annual appraisal.Education and Training and ResearchSupport on the development of integration of education, research and practice development Trustwide. Develop effective links with other individuals and teams and to support these initiatives.Share professional knowledge and expertise through formal and informal teaching using flexible methods of delivery.Support in the identification of an respond to any appropriate education needs within the Trust, enabling practitioners to develop clinically based competencies, thus ensuring that they are effective in providing quality service provision.Promote a reflective, enquiring approach to clinical practice and support the use of clinical supervision to enhance the quality of patient care.Maintain an extensive knowledge of Tissue Viability care by continuing self development, including regular review of performance and a high level of critical self-awareness.Develop and provide face to face, on-line and workbooks to provide and enhance education and specialist knowledge on tissue viability, including wound care.
Management ResponsibilitiesContribute to the review of annual Tissue Viability objectives in collaboration with other TVN staff and professional groups.Promote effective communication to all members of the multi-disciplinary team, patients and carers to ensure swift dissemination of Tissue Viability information and advice.Manage and support the development of the Tissue Viability service.Provide feedback to ward/departmental managers for performance management and annual appraisal purposes.Version January 2025To assess the current treatments and make recommendations for the provision of appropriate resources to improve clinical outcomes whilst monitoring cost effectiveness in care provision.Monitor the contracts and use of specialist Tissue Viability equipment to ensure clinical objectives are met.Take appropriate measures to ensure the health and safety of patients, visitors and staff, reporting incidences, accidents and hazards to appropriate managers.Ensure accurate documentation is maintained for any advice and information given within the Trust and to outside agencies.Represent the Trust locally and nationally through appropriate agreed Tissue Viability organisations and groups.
Support the Tissue Viability team in the production of a quarterly and annual report for the service and disseminate accordingly.Develop and maintain audit schedule for SSKIN skin damage training compliance, audit compliance.Develop and maintain processes within the service that monitor and record pressure damage RCA, SI, Coroners reports and other data/information and reports are maintained and prepared in a timely manner.Travel between the Kettering and Northampton Hospital sites and other sites where requiredCommunicationBe an active member of relevant forums within the Trust and its partner organisations.Effectively communicate with all levels of staff within the Trust and externallyService DevelopmentIn conjunction with the other members of the Tissue Viability team the post holder will develop and assist in the implementation of appropriate policies, protocols, and guidelines and care pathways to ensure safe, equitable and consistent practice.Participate in service reviews. Supporting a programmed data collection and audit to determine the efficacy of the service.Demonstrate leadership in the implementation of national recommendations and other guidelines e.g. NICE, National Service Frameworks, as they relate to Tissue Viability across the Trust.Demonstrate innovation in reducing skin damage for patients and staff.Co-ordinate and engage with bed management programs, mattress audits and purchasing of equipment that relates to patient skin careResearch and EvaluationRaise awareness of current research on Tissue Viability practices, disseminate via teaching,advice and assist in its implementation throughout the Trust.
Working in partnership with the Tissue Viability team in the Trusts monitoring of pressure ulcer prevalence and incidence monitoring. Contribute to annual reports and action plans and disseminate accordingly.
Actively participate in a Trust wide audit of patient seating condition, annual foam mattress review and equipment resources, and in conjunction with the Tissue Viability team manage replacement programs as necessary in conjunction with the Trusts medical equipment manager. Guide other staff groups to audit their equipment, which may impact on pressure ulcer prevention or management.
In accordance with standards set nationally, by statutory bodies, be responsible for setting, monitoring and improving multi-disciplinary standards of Tissue Viability.Work Trust wide to apply quality assurance programs and ensure that facilities/resources are utilised in a cost effective and optimum manner.Participate in research initiatives in Tissue Viability, in order to contribute to the growing evidence base in relation to the specialty.Develop audit and outcome measures relevant to the role, carry out audits, and report results to relevant individuals. Develop and implement action plans to deal with any problems identified.To demonstrate leadership in the development of the Chief Nursing Officer for England, 10 key roles for nurses with Tissue Viability services.

Person Specification
Education, Training and Qualifications
Essential

• Registered general Nurse qualified at degree level, with acute nursing experience
• Mentorship course or equivalent, or knowledge and experience of teaching techniques and of learners' needs
• Management/Leadership programme
• Post registration qualification, education or experience, in Tissue Viability to master level or equivalent.

Desirable

• Recognised teaching qualification

Knowledge and Experience
Essential

• Substantial post-registration experience, directly in the field of Tissue Viability.
• Evidence of leadership in clinical practice and operational level within nursing and multi-professional groups.
• Experience of successfully developing, implementing, and reflecting on programmes of education and training in Tissue Viability, for all levels of staff, academic and vocational in nature
• Effective presentation skills at local and national level

Desirable

• Working knowledge of Government strategies related to the NHS England and the relevance of the same to Tissue Viability
• Corporate wide responsibility for service delivery

Skills
Essential

• Demonstrates expert/highly developed clinical skills and specialist knowledge within Tissue Viability
• Problem solving, critical appraisal and independent decision-making skills. Including involvement of bench marking.
• IT skills including the use of PowerPoint and Excel packages
• Able to communicate complex information, concepts, and initiatives to all levels of staff.
• Ability to work independently as an autonomous practitioner

Desirable

• Evidence of developing clinical pathways, guidelines, and policies.
• Knowledge of change management

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.
Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website.
From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website.