POSITION DESCRIPTION POSITION TITLE REPORTS TO AWARD/AGREEMENT/CONTRACT POSITION TYPE e.g. Registered Nurse Div 1, Occupational Therapist Gr1, etc. HOURS PER WEEK Nurse Unit Manager, Ward 8 West Director, Surgical CSU Nurses Award Registered Nurse 40 with ADO 1. ORGANISATIONAL CONTEXT Austin Health is one of Victoria s largest health care providers. Comprised of Austin Hospital, Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital and Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre, Austin Health is a major teaching and research centre with numerous university and research institute affiliations. Catering to diverse multicultural and veteran communities, Austin Health delivers vital state-wide services to Victorians and a vast array of specialty services to the people of Melbourne s north-eastern corridor in a safety-focussed, team-orientated and stimulating work environment. Austin Health Values The Austin Health values play a critical role in shaping how we operate as an organisation. They influence our performance planning, recruitment, training and development, and relationships with colleagues, work mates, our patients and their relatives and friends. The Austin Health values set standard that we expect all staff to live up to in the way they undertake their duties and responsibilities across the Hospital. Our Values: 1
Integrity We work in the spirit of collaboration and honesty to build effective working relationships across the whole organisation. Accountability We are transparent, responsible and build trust by fulfilling promises and communicating effectively. Respect We care about others and treat each other with consideration, equality and fairness. Excellence We continually strive to advance patient focused care through innovation, research and effective stakeholder management. 2. LOCAL WORK ENVIRONMENT (Role of the department including any special features of the workplace and relationships) Ward 8 West is a 32 bed general surgery, liver transplant and gastroenterology ward. Our general surgical unit provides expertise in hepatopancreatobiliary surgery. The gastroenterology unit cares for those with advanced and complex liver disease, as well as those with diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. The Victorian Liver Transplant Unit provides liver transplantation services for all of Victoria, Tasmania, and parts of Southern New South Wales, and is currently in the process of planning an intestinal transplant program. 3. POSITION OBJECTIVE (Primary purpose and key performance objective) Manage efficiently and effectively ward/unit staffing and budgetary resources, ensuring provision of a high quality service that meets the needs of the clients and patients, adherence to legislative responsibilities and maintenance of a safe work environment. To employ an innovative and flexible approach to resource management To ensure patient care standards meet professional, organisation, legal and ethical requirements To promote staff development and satisfaction. To promote the vision and goals of Austin Health and CSU/Unit ensuring organisational strategies are represented to staff. 4. POSITION REQUIREMENTS (Main duties and other specific requirements, activity and end result/outcome, regularly performed) 2
Position specific 1. Ensure confidentiality by undertaking not to reveal to any person or entity any confidential information relating to patients and employees, policies, processes and dealings including making public statements relating to the affairs of Austin Health without prior authority of the Chief Executive Officer. 2. To uphold the rights of patients and promote the role of advocate patients Rights & Responsibilities are displayed and promoted throughout the unit. The patient advocate is consulted/informed of any patient issues. 3. To support the provision of quality patient care throughout the Ward/Unit, through the promotion of values and principles, which underpin best practice nursing and departmental standards are current, known and accessible and meet organisational, professional, ethical and legal requirements. Patient confidentiality is maintained. 4. To ensure that patient care standards meet professional, organisational, legal and ethical requirements patient incidents/accidents and complaints are investigated within 24 hours and preventative action ensured. 5. To participate in resource management, including budget profiling and monitoring - budget outcomes are monitored and reviewed. 6. To delegate responsibilities appropriately and effectively delegations have a set time frame, are evaluated with a follow up strategy. There is appropriate deputising of NUM and ANUM positions. 7. To provide a role model for ANUM s and Clinical Nurse Specialists in their approach to education, interpersonal relationships, teamwork and communication there is mentoring of ANUM s and CNS s. Performance appraisals are current and performance problems are managed effectively. 8. To initiate and participate in the development of innovative policies and procedures policies and standards are current, relevant and accessible. 9. To encourage an active learning environment, in which competencies of staff are maintained and improved, consistent with current nursing knowledge and research inservice sessions are evaluated for their effectiveness. 10. To actively support quality improvement and research initiatives, in an environment that fosters and delivers high quality patient care outcomes based on the EQuIP framework quality activities are recorded and evaluated. 11. To develop and maintain positive working relationships with members of A&RMC and external agencies customer satisfaction is evaluated. 12. Maintain safe work practices and environment by actively reducing hazards, reporting accidents/incidents, following and promoting Austin Health principles of the No Lift & No Needlestick programs and actively promoting accident prevention there is a unit specific OH&S plan. 3
13. To maintain staff knowledge and awareness of occupational health and safety procedures incidents are monitored and appropriately documented and preventative action taken. Ward/unit staff have attended inservice sessions in emergency procedures. 14. To be the conduit through which information from management and the multidisciplinary team is disseminated to staff monthly unit meetings are conducted which conform to A&RMC meeting standards. 15. To ensure documentation meets legal, professional and organisational standards documentation is evaluated as part of the quality program. 16. To participate in relevant committee processes, attend relevant meetings and to prepare and submit reports as required relevant project statistics are collected, interpreted and reported. 17. To maintain creative rostering practices that maximise patient care and staff options annual leave and sick leave are effectively managed. 18. To maintain appropriate recruitment processes, orientation of new staff and ongoing performance development and appraisal a staff development program exists, performance appraisals are current and performance problems are managed effectively. The NUM is skilled in interview techniques. 19. To evaluate the effectiveness of own performance self-development is actively maintained and performance is appraised. 20. To support the Liver Transplant Unit by actively participating in Liver Transplant team processes- The NUM attends weekly team and other relevant meetings. 21. To ensure in collaboration with the Liver Transplant Unit that appropriate staff and patient educational resources are available that reflect current best practice- discharge education material for staff and patients are accessible and regularly reviewed. 22. To facilitate Liver Transplant and organ donation promotional opportunities and activities relating to the inpatient period of the continuum- strong relationships are developed with corporate communications. The ward regularly participates in promotional activities. Generic Abide by Austin Health corporate policies and practices as varied from time to time. Participate in Austin Health performance appraisal program as required. Undertake not to reveal to any person or entity any confidential information relating to patients and employees, policies, processes and dealings and not 4
to make public statements relating to the affairs of Austin Health without prior authority of the Chief Executive Officer. Participate in the emergency incident response activities, as defined within the Emergency Response Manual, as and when required, at the direction of management. Management/supervisory (applicable only to positions with management responsibilities) Ensure a high level of work quality, develop, implement and monitor quality improvement activities within the department/ward, in accordance with Austin Health Policies as varied from time to time. Ensure safe work practices and environment in accordance with Austin Health Policies as varied from time to time. Mandatory Training * Ensure all new employees on commencement in the department/unit complete e-learning training on Fire Safety and Bullying & Harassment. * Ensure that, at any given time, up to 80% of employees in the department/unit have completed e-learning training on Fire Safety and Bullying & Harassment. * Ensure that employees responsible for acting as Fire Wardens complete Fire Warden training every two (2) years and within one (1) month of commencing as Fire Warden. 5. KEY SELECTION CRITERIA (Key skills, qualifications, knowledge and behavioural attributes, together with physical requirements, necessary for performance of the role) Essential Registered Nurse, Division 1 [General] Nurses Board of Victoria. Graduate Qualification in Nursing or equivalent Previous management experience Patient/customer focused approach to care delivery Demonstrated knowledge of professional standards Knowledge of legal and ethical requirements Demonstrated leadership ability Demonstrated experience in applying Human Resource Management principles Commitment to quality, best practice and environmental safety Ability to communicate effectively in both written and verbal form Ability to problem solve in a variety of situations Ability to build a dynamic team which works effectively within a multidisciplinary environment A commitment to Austin Health values: Integrity, Accountability, Respect and Excellence. 5
Desirable Substantial clinical experience in surgical nursing Ability to initiate and manage projects Advanced interpersonal skills Knowledge and management of industrial issues Ability to implement budget management processes Demonstrated experience in leading quality initiatives Ability to implement, lead and support change 6. OTHER RELEVANT INFORMATION (Other information to be made known to persons interested in appointment to this position) Pre-Existing Injury Prior to any person being appointed to this position it will be required that they disclose full details of any pre-existing injuries or disease that might be affected by employment in this position. 6
7. DOCUMENT REVIEW DETAILS Date of this Position Description Review: Feb 2010 Signature of Manager: Date: / / Signature of Employee: Date: / / "Austin Health promotes a healthy work environment. Effective from 1 July 2009, Austin Health is now entirely smoke free. Smoking is no longer allowed on any Austin Health site, including buildings, vehicles or on the grounds of Austin Hospital, Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital and Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre." 7