Occupational Health Nurse
Choose Well - Choose WWL
Job overview
We are looking to recruit an enthusiastic, motivated registered Nurse (Adult) with a range of post qualification experience and a keen interest in working in the field of occupational health. The successful candidate will predominantly support the delivery of Occupational Health services to our Higher Education establishments in addition to Trust employees and external organisations.
The successful candidate will be joining Well Being Partners, a SEQOHS accredited Occupational Health and wellbeing partnership from Wrightington Wigan and Leigh NHS FT and Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS FT. We currently provide services to several NHS clients, Universities, Colleges and schools, local authorities as well as other private sector businesses.
Main duties of the job
The role will include undertaking a range of health assessments, health promotion and health screening, providing advice to managers and employees alike on work health issues. Conducting pre-employment health assessments, and the protection of staff and patients against infectious disease and transmissible infections; assessing immunisation status of individuals, providing information about communicable diseases, delivering immunisations, requesting appropriate blood testing and managing blood exposure incidents.
You will assess care needs and develop, implement and evaluate them without supervision. You should possess a broad range of clinical experience. You should have excellent communication skills and be confident to undertake both face to face and telephone consultations.You will also need to be able to demonstrate excellent IT skills as our clinical records are computer based.
Working for our organisation
Choose Well – Choose WWL
Wrightington, Wigan and Leigh Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust are the proud providers of acute hospital and community services. At WWL, we value our staff believing that ‘happy staff, makes for happy patients’. We have a recognised track record in staff engagement, and living our values.
WWL are committed to placing the patient at the heart of everything we do, and in the provision of safe, effective care that acknowledges and ensures dignity. With this in mind we are seeking to recruit people who share our values and beliefs.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities- Supporting the Occupational Health team in the delivery of Occupational Health Services within the department, Hospital and community settings
- To undertake pathology tests through venepuncture in line with departmental protocols and liaise with laboratory staff e.g. virologists when appropriate.
- To undertake health screening procedures, e.g. lung function testing, audiometry, skin checks, and immunisations.
- To assist in the maintenance and safe use of equipment.
- Undertake pre-employment health assessments to evaluate fitness for work and the potential effects of work on health, obtaining medical reports from GP’s/Specialists where appropriate. Liaise with the Senior Occupational Health Nurse Advisors/Consultant in Occupational Medicine for further advice if necessary.
- Undertake audits, risk assessments/environmental surveys under the guidance of the Nurse Manager and assist in implementing recommendations.
- Undertake risk assessments and initiate action plans to follow up accidental exposure to body fluid incidents in accordance with Occupational Health policy. Liaise with Nurse Manager, Consultant in Occupational Medicine where necessary.
- Arrange and monitor referrals to the Thoracic Medicine Department, under the guidance of the Nurse Manager/Senior Occupational Health Nurse Advisors, for employees in accordance with Trust Tuberculosis policy, which includes the contact tracing of staff as required.
- To maintain confidential, accurate records of Occupational Health activity via computer records, using OPAS G2, or any other database used by the service
- To be familiar with all department processes, procedures, policies and standards and to ensure correct implementation.
- Any other reasonable duties for service deliver
- Plan and organise, under the guidance of the Nurse Manager, own nurse led clinics on hospital/clinic sites for health surveillance, vaccinations, counselling, health promotion and advice for NHS employees and external organisations.
- Plan and organise, under the guidance of the Nurse Manager, wellbeing initiatives for NHS employees and external organisations
Person specification
Qualifications
Essential criteria- Current first level registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council NMC Level 1
- Occupational Health qualification
Experience
Essential criteria- Substantial post registration experience with broad experience in General Nursing
- Experience in Occupational Health Nursing including preemployment health assessments, health surveillance, spirometry, audiometry, vaccinations, counselling
- Experience in Occupational Health within the NHS including the screenings and vaccinations required, management of accidental exposure to body fluids incidents
- Implementation of Health promotion initiatives
Skills
Essential criteria- Ability to demonstrate good team skills
- Effective communication skills
- Awareness of principles of handling
- telephone enquiries
- Ability to liaise with all disciplines of staff
- Ability to demonstrate initiative
- Ability to manage own caseload
- Ability to work to deadlines
- Competent IT skills
- Experience using databases and excel
- Specialist Occupational Health skills e.g. spriometry, audiometry, ECGs
- Venepuncture, administration of vaccines
- Counselling skills
Knowledge
Essential criteria- Understanding of Occupational Health Nursing
- Evidence of ongoing professional development
- Knowledge of current Department of Health guidelines
- Knowledge of current Health & Safety legislation
- Knowledge of Department of Health guidance in relation to tuberculosis, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV, measles and varicella
- Knowledge of the Equality Act
Additional
Essential criteria- Able to travel between different Trust and sites of external Organisations
- Ability to adopt to a flexible approach to working hours and circumstances within Occupational Health
- Speak English to an appropriate standard relevant to their role, i.e. with confidence and accuracy, using correct sentence structures and vocabulary, and without hesitation
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Recruitment Information for Candidates
Our Trust prefers candidates to submit applications online. Please contact the Recruitment Team on 01942 244000 if you have difficulty applying online.
The Trust reserves the right to close adverts earlier than the stated closing date if there is a high volume of applications.
We endeavour to inform all applicants of the outcome of their application by email or SMS text message.
Guidance on Completing Your Application
Applications are scored against the person specification, therefore we recommend that you use the supporting information section of your application form to demonstrate how you meet the essential and desirable criteria for the role, providing illustrative examples where possible.
On-Call
Please note that some roles may require you to participate in an on-call rota, if the role is predominantly operational.
Continuous Service
WWL has signed up to the Greater Manchester Continuous Service Commitment. and will recognise your continuous or ‘unbroken’ service in any Greater Manchester Local Authority or NHS organisation, Transport for Greater Manchester, Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service or Greater Manchester Combined Authority; giving you access to our service-related benefits.