Sepsis Specialist Nurse

Job summary
The Specialist Nurse is an experienced registered healthcare professional who practises at an enhanced level within their specialist area. Working as an autonomous practitioner within agreed protocols and scope of practice, the post holder will deliver high-quality, evidence-based care to patients with complex needs while supporting the delivery and development of the specialist service.

The post holder will undertake a structured programme of specialist education, workplace-based learning and competency assessment, supported through clinical supervision and continuing professional development, in accordance with the requirements of their professional regulatory body.

Working collaboratively as part of the multidisciplinary team, the Specialist Nurse will contribute to improving patient outcomes through advanced clinical assessment, specialist advice, education, quality improvement, audit and service development. They will be expected to demonstrate capability across the four pillars of advanced practice--Clinical Practice, Leadership and Management, Education, and Research--appropriate to enhanced level practice, while maintaining professional accountability and working within organisational policies and national guidance.

Main duties of the job
Main Duties and Responsibilities

Clinical

• Deliver specialist assessment, advice and support for patients with suspected or confirmed sepsis and acute deterioration.
• Review and prioritise patients identified through sepsis alerts, referrals and proactive case finding, ensuring timely assessment, intervention and escalation.
• Interpret clinical observations and diagnostic results to support evidence-based decision making.
• Perform clinical procedures including venepuncture, peripheral cannulation and blood culture collection within Trust competency frameworks.
• Provide specialist advice on sepsis management, antimicrobial stewardship and antibiotic optimisation.
• Maintain accurate clinical records and communicate effectively with the multidisciplinary team.

Leadership, Education and Service Development

• Act as a clinical role model, promoting high standards of patient care and evidence-based practice.
• Contribute to clinical governance, audit, quality improvement, service development and implementation of national guidance.
• Deliver education and training on sepsis recognition and management and support the development of colleagues and students.
• Maintain professional competence through continuing professional development, clinical supervision and appraisal.

Research and Audit

• Participate in audit, research and quality improvement activities to improve patient outcomes and support the collection, analysis and reporting of service performance data.

About us
Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is one of the largest NHS teaching trusts in the country. It provides a wide range of general and specialist clinical services and is a base for medical education, training and research. The Trust comprises four hospitals - the John Radcliffe Hospital, Churchill Hospital and Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Headington and the Horton General Hospital in Banbury. For more information on OUH please view OUH At a Glance by OUHospitals - Issuu

Our values, standards and behaviours define the quality of clinical care we offer and the professional relationships we make with our patients, colleagues and the wider community.

We call this Delivering Compassionate Excellence and its focus is on our values of compassion, respect, learning, delivery, improvement and excellence.

These values put patients at the heart of what we do and underpin the quality healthcare we would like for ourselves or a member of our family. Watch how we set out to deliver compassionate excellence via the OUH YouTube channel.

Details
Date posted: 18 August 2026
Pay scheme: Agenda for change
Band: Band 6
Salary: £39,959 to £48,117 a year per annum pro rata
Contract: Permanent
Working pattern: Part-time
Reference number: 321-CORP-8176118-B6
Job locations: John Radcliffe, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX39DU, United Kingdom

Job responsibilities
Job Summary

The post holder will work as a Specialist Nurse/Practitioner within the Sepsis Service, practising at an enhanced level of practice in line with professional regulatory requirements, relevant specialist training and agreed scope of practice.

The post holder will develop and demonstrate capability across the four pillars of enhanced practice: Clinical Practice, Leadership and Management, Education and Research , supported through workplace-based assessment, clinical supervision and ongoing professional development.

The role will involve autonomous clinical practice within the sepsis speciality, providing expert assessment, advice and support to patients, families and healthcare professionals across acute clinical areas.

Specialist Nurse/Practitioner Sepsis Service Clinical Responsibilities

• Provide specialist clinical assessment, advice and support for patients with suspected or confirmed sepsis across Emergency Department and inpatient areas, working within Trust pathways, NICE guidance and local protocols.
• Work collaboratively within the multidisciplinary team, including acute care, infection prevention and control, infectious diseases and antimicrobial stewardship teams.
• Review, prioritise and respond to sepsis alerts, referrals and clinical concerns, identifying patients requiring urgent assessment, intervention and escalation.
• Undertake clinical assessment including review of physiological observations, NEWS2, laboratory investigations, microbiology results and blood cultures to support evidence-based decision making.
• Perform clinical procedures including venepuncture and peripheral cannulation in line with Trust competency frameworks.
• Provide specialist advice regarding antimicrobial therapy, supporting appropriate antibiotic choice, optimisation and review in collaboration with microbiology and clinical teams.
• Support antimicrobial stewardship initiatives, including intravenous-to-oral antibiotic review, antimicrobial duration optimisation and appropriate escalation of concerns.
• Undertake penicillin allergy assessment and support allergy de-labelling pathways where appropriate.
• Review patients following sepsis alerts, including overnight and out-of-hours cases where required, identifying deterioration and escalating concerns promptly.
• Provide flexible specialist sepsis support across clinical areas according to service need.

Main Duties and Responsibilities Clinical Practice

The post holder will:

• Practise safely and effectively in accordance with professional standards, demonstrating accountability for clinical decisions, actions and omissions.
• Work with increasing autonomy, recognising personal limitations and escalating appropriately when managing complexity, risk or uncertainty.
• Develop advanced assessment, clinical reasoning and decision-making skills relevant to sepsis and deterioration.
• Undertake holistic patient assessments, including history taking, identification of risk factors and interpretation of relevant diagnostic investigations.
• Communicate effectively with patients, families and carers, providing compassionate, person-centred care and supporting shared decision-making.
• Communicate effectively with healthcare professionals through accurate verbal and written communication, including comprehensive clinical documentation.
• Provide and receive sensitive and complex information relating to patient care with professionalism and empathy.
• Synthesise information from multiple sources to support evidence-based clinical judgement and safe patient management.
• Develop and evaluate clinical interventions within scope of practice.
• Act as a clinical role model and advocate for high-quality, responsive sepsis care.
• Maintain evidence of competence and specialist knowledge through a professional portfolio aligned to sepsis practice requirements.

Leadership and Management

The post holder will:

• Develop effective working relationships across multidisciplinary teams, promoting collaborative and efficient service delivery.
• Demonstrate Trust values and behaviours, supporting compassionate, safe and effective care.
• Work within professional, ethical and organisational governance frameworks, managing clinical risk appropriately.
• Participate in clinical governance activities, audits, incident reviews and improvement initiatives.
• Use feedback from patients, carers and colleagues to support personal and service development.
• Participate in peer review and reflective practice to improve clinical outcomes and patient experience.
• Support colleagues through teaching, supervision and sharing specialist knowledge where appropriate.
• Adapt practice in response to changing evidence, healthcare priorities and service requirements.
• Contribute to the development and improvement of the Sepsis Service, including implementation of national standards and frameworks.

Education

The post holder will:

• Identify and address personal learning needs through continuing professional development and a personal development plan.
• Participate in relevant postgraduate education, specialist training and workplace-based assessments as required.
• Maintain evidence of learning and development through a professional portfolio.
• Engage with appraisal, clinical supervision and professional development processes.
• Promote a culture of learning within the service and wider organisation.
• Support education and training for healthcare professionals, patients and carers within their scope of competence.
• Contribute to the development and delivery of sepsis education, including awareness, prevention, recognition and management.

Research and Quality Improvement

The post holder will:

• Promote a culture of evidence-based practice, enquiry and continuous improvement.
• Participate in research, audit and quality improvement activities relevant to sepsis care.
• Evaluate clinical practice using appropriate methods and implement improvements based on findings.
• Critically appraise evidence and incorporate relevant research into clinical practice.
• Identify gaps in knowledge and contribute to service improvement initiatives.
• Support dissemination of best practice, audit findings and quality improvement outcomes.
• Work collaboratively with clinical, academic and research colleagues to improve patient outcomes.

Trust Values and Responsibilities

The post holder is expected to demonstrate Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust values:

• Compassion putting patients at the centre of care and recognising individual needs.
• Respect promoting teamwork, integrity and support.
• Excellence delivering high-quality care.
• Learning reflecting and learning from experience.
• Delivery maintaining high standards of healthcare.
• Improvement contributing to innovation and service development.

The post holder must comply with all Trust policies relating to:

• Information governance and confidentiality.
• Infection prevention and control.
• Safeguarding children and vulnerable adults.
• Health and safety.
• Incident reporting and risk management.
• Equality, diversity and inclusion.
• Data quality and accurate clinical documentation.

The post holder must maintain professional confidentiality and comply with relevant legislation, including data protection requirements.

Job Planning and Professional Development

The post holder will participate in effective job planning, demonstrating activity and outcomes related to clinical practice, education, audit, research and service development.

Time allocated for training, supervision and professional development will be supported by evidence of contribution to the service and achievement of agreed objectives.

Job Description Review

This job description is not exhaustive and may be reviewed in response to service development, changing healthcare needs and organisational priorities. It should be read alongside Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust policies, procedures and guidelines.

Person Specification
Qualifications
Essential

• Registered Nurse (NMC)
• First level degree (HEI level 5 or 6) in undergraduate base profession
• Demonstrable evidence of ability to achieve post graduate study at level 6 or 7
• Supervision, mentoring or Facilitation workplace learning Qualification

Desirable

• Leadership course/qualification
• Completed level 7 MSc, relevant to clinical area or speciality, or willing to undertake

Knowledge and experience
Essential

• Demonstrates knowledge or transferable skills within speciality of recruiting area for the role
• Excellent clinical and practical skills
• Awareness of clinical governance issues and measures of quality

Desirable

• Experience of team leadership ability or management skills
• Experience of applying research evidence to own clinical practice
• Experience of clinical governance practices, audit, service evaluation or quality improvement in clinical practice
• Existing technical clinical procedural skills relevant to clinical service

Personal Skills
Essential

• Commitment to studying for any required post-graduate training needs identified.
• Commitment to evidencing own professional development, capabilities and competency development via work-based assessments and use of a portfolio.
• Willingness to engage in clinical supervision to develop knowledge, skills and behaviours across the breadth of the four pillars of practice
• Able to organise own workload effectively
• Enthusiasm towards teaching patients, staff and others in the MDT as needed.

Desirable

• Ability to undertake clinical audits or service evaluations
• Evidence of delivering educational teaching and associated evaluations, internally and/or externally to the organisation

Behavioural
Essential

• Demonstrates a clear vision of the role in developing the clinical service
• Aligned to the Trust values
• Conducts themselves in an inclusive, professional manner at all times
• Positive attitude to all tasks and stakeholders
• Willingness and enthusiasm towards working as part of a multi-disciplinary team in delivering care

Technical IM&T Skills
Essential

• Computer literate with experience of working with Microsoft Office packages
• Advanced keyboard skills, to ensure fluent documentation

Desirable

• Evidence of e-portfolio use.

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship
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 (Opens in a new tab).

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 (Opens in a new tab).

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

Employer details
Employer name: Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Address: John Radcliffe, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, OX39DU, United Kingdom
Employer's website: (Opens in a new tab)

Employer contact details
For questions about the job, contact: Lead Sepsis Nurse Specialist, Clare Hird, View email address on meeveem.com, View phone number on meeveem.com

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.
Applicants must have current UK professional registration.