Palliative Care Support Worker - CommunityNHS

Job summary

Do you have the desire and passion to make the difference when it matters the most? Are you a Health Care Assistant or Carer looking for an opportunity to utilise your caring skills and knowledge in palliative care? Or someone with life experience and the motivation to use that learning to support patients and their loved ones? We are recruiting for an Adult Palliative Care Support Worker (PCSW) to join our Community team. You will be dedicated to providing professional and compassionate emotional support and personal care at the end of life for patients and families within Luton and Bedfordshire.

Main duties of the job

Provide a patient centred care across the community

Show compassion when communicating with patients and their families

Support colleagues in providing high-quality palliative and end-of-life care, including pre and post bereavement support.

Actively engage in the training opportunities to develop your palliative care knowledge and skills

Recognise the importance of sharing experiences to manage your own wellbeing, and encourage others to do the same

Job description

1.Ensure patients and families are received at the hospice into a welcoming, relaxed and friendly environment.

2.To work closely with other members of the Care Team, recognising and working within own capabilities, but always acting in the best interest of the Patient and family.

3.Take responsibility for the general care and safety of patients allocated by the Team Leader, ensuring care is carried out to a high standard, following the patients individual care plan and that clear reports are given to other staff.

4.Assist with patients personal clinical care, record patient observations, collect specimens and other tasks for which competence has been assessed, in accordance with the patients individual care plan and under the supervision of the registered clinician.

5.Take the opportunity to sit with patients when they are alone and would like company; get to know them and what matters to them.

6.Provide support and assistance to registered clinicians when carrying out nursing procedures.

7.Work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals to provide patient centred care and use the experience to develop your own knowledge and confidence.

8.Keep accurate, contemporaneous records and ensure that care is carried out in accordance with each individual patients care plan, and ensure relevant templates are updated within the patients electronic record.

9.Support the clinicians with the admission and discharges of patients, including the completion of assessment templates on the patients electronic record as requested, within scope of assessed competence.

10.Report any concerns with regards to patient care, changing needs or safeguarding concerns to the shift leader, and record this in the patients electronic record.

11.Facilitate opportunities for patient and families to talk, should they wish to. To understand the importance of listening and develop listening skills with the appropriate training. Be prepared to give pre and post bereavement support to families, in conjunction with the Clinical Team and Family Support Service.

12.Be familiar with the range of support available for patients and carers and assist patients and families to create memories.

13.Communicate information to patients using, reassurance, tact and sensitivity, overcoming barriers to understanding using a range of methods appropriate to the needs of the patient.

14.Ensure that patient and family confidentiality is always maintained.

15.Undertake a link role to develop own knowledge and skills and participate in audits as requested.

16.Support colleagues to achieve their objectives within their own link roles.

17.Actively participate in maintaining a safe environment, taking care of the equipment available, and ensuring all daily and weekly checks are completed, with any concerns escalated through the appropriate channel.

18.Take the opportunity to attend debrief and supervision sessions as part of self-care management and support for other colleagues.

19.Take the opportunity to attend training sessions, consider how your learning will change how you work, and share learning with other colleagues

About us

Keech Hospice provides free specialist palliative and end of life care for people of all ages. We support adults in Bedfordshire. Children and their families in Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Milton Keynes. At home, in hospice, or wherever were needed. As a teaching hospice, our exceptional people, training, and facilities are helping local communities to live and die well.