Registered Mental Health Nurse - Acute Perinatal Ward

Job summary
We are a 13-bed female acute ward, providing evidence-based mental health treatment for both pregnant women and women with babies under one year old.

Our service is for women who present with an acute or relapsing mental illness e.g. schizophrenia, bi-polar disorder, affective disorders. Additionally, and unique to the perinatal specialism, is the presentation of postpartum psychosis which is considered a psychiatric emergency.

Our aim in promoting recovery is twofold: a) for women to develop confidence in their vital role as mothers and to have a lasting return to their community and b) for babies to grow up to be physically healthy, emotionally capable and securely attached so that they can lead happy lives.

We do not expect you to come to us as experts in this specialist field or even to have ever held a baby! However, you can expect us to train you to become expert over time. This is a great opportunity to build on your core nursing skills in a creative, supportive and forward-thinking team.

We currently have 3 vacant posts for this role.

Main duties of the job
About the role:

As a primary nurse on the unit you will have responsibility for the assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation of care given to mothers and babies on the unit and ensure records associated with this process are maintained.

This may include the co-ordination of care of service users liaising with other members of the multidisciplinary team where necessary. The successful candidate will regularly co-ordinate shifts and administer prescribed medication.

The successful candidate will carry out nursing procedures to a standard that ensures safe and effective care, and complies with The Nursing and Midwifery Council's Code of Professional Conduct. The successful candidate will act as a role model for junior staff and students and be proactive in ongoing service development and improvement.

There is an expectation that the successful candidate will facilitate service user involvement in all aspects of service delivery.

We are committed to the development of the people that come to work with us. We will invest in you and support you to maximise your potential. As part of your on-going development, you will receive regular supervision and training in order to enable you to flourish within the service.

As a new member of the team you will receive a robust induction which will include supernumerary time to familiarise yourself with the work of the unit, your colleagues, the ward timetable and to complete mandatory training appropriate for your role.

About us
About the location:

You will be based at the Mother and Baby Unit, Bethlem Royal Hospital, Monks Orchard Road, Beckenham, Kent, BR3 3BX

We are committed to ensuring our staff get the most out of their benefits package and understand the importance of a healthy work life balance.

• Generous pay, pensions and leave, we offer a comprehensive pay, pensions and leave package which is dependent on the role and length of service.
• Work life balance, flexible working and support a range of flexible options, such as: part-time working and job sharing.
• Career development, There are plenty of opportunities to progress your career and we support your development through a number of programmes such as mentoring, coaching, positive people management, collective leadership and other talent programmes
• Car lease, our staff benefits from competitive deals to lease cars
• Accommodation, our staff benefits from keyworker housing available which is available on selected sites
• NHS discounts, with discounts up to 10% from a variety of well-known retail brands though Health Service Discounts website.

Other benefits include:

• Counselling services
• Wellbeing events
• Long service awards
• Cycle to work scheme
• Season ticket loan
• Childcare vouchers
• Staff restaurants

We currently have 2 openings for this role, one being a permanent position, the other being fixed term 12 months maternity cover.

Key Responsibilities
Clinical Skills

• Working autonomously within the parameters of the role leading on implementing the delivery of quality nursing care, contributing to the physical, psychological, social, recreational and spiritual care in a recovery focused way through therapeutic engagement and activities, and taking steps to address any issues that arise.
• Providing accurate information about care in an accessible format to patients and their relatives / carers.
• Liaising and working positively with members of the multi-disciplinary team and partner organisations.
• Administering, and monitoring the side-effects of, medication; monitoring service user compliance.
• Leading on and directing junior staff in providing hands-on care to service users.
• Facilitating the admission and discharge of service users, ensuring needs of the patient and service including relevant legislative or required documentation are completed.
• Advocating for service users needs and rights within Trust policy. Encouraging and empowering service users to have an optimum level of responsibility for their individual programme of care.

Knowledge and Frameworks

• Demonstrating an enhanced understanding of Mental Health signs and symptoms.
• Recognizing and responding appropriately to challenging behaviour in line with Trust policies and training.
• Demonstrating a depth of knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of the MHA, MCA and DOLS and other legislation.

Communication

• Contributing to an effective communication process with appropriate and accurate information to patients, carers, family, friends and colleagues.
• Contributing towards the on-going quality of service and care by managing the patient caseload, organizing care.
• Maintaining timely and accurate service user written/electronic records in line with Trust policy.

Teamworking and Professional development

• Working in ways that support shared responsibility within the team: demonstrating support, respect and courtesy towards colleagues.
• Leading, attending and participating in team meetings and contributing ideas to multi-professional team discussions.
• Engaging in reflective practice to ensure effective patient care is based on evidence-based practice and with Trust values in mind.
• Participating in supervision by nominated senior staff member.

Person Specification
Qualification
Essential

• Registered Adult Nurse and/or Registered Mental Health Nurse and/or Registered Learning Disabilities Nurse

Desirable

• Practice assessor qualification

Experience
Essential

• Knowledge of relevant Professional and Clinical legislation
• Experience of shift co-ordination.
• Has experience in risk assessment and care planning

Desirable

• Experience of supervising junior staff and students
• Experience in reporting incidents

Skills
Essential

• Able to provide quality care that is responsive to service user's needs, without close supervision.
• Resilient: able to cope with difficult interpersonal situations.
• Forms very effective working relationships with colleagues.

Desirable

• Confident EPJS skills

Other
Essential

• Ability to be compassionate whilst maintaining boundaries

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.

UK Registration
Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact:
Ward Manager, June Judd, View email address on meeveem.com, View phone number on meeveem.com

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