Cancer Support Worker,Band 4 Job Brick area,New Jersey USA,Healthcare

Key Knowledge and experience

Good General Education with GCSE English and Mathematics (Grades A-C or equivalent)
Competence in the use of all Microsoft products
Relevant Health or Social Care experience at AFC Band 3 or equivalent
Efficient in the use of Microsoft Word for Windows, Excel, Power Point, Outlook and Internet
Understanding of person-centred support
Experience of multi-professional working
Evidence of good communication skills
Understanding of the health and social care environment
Able to use own initiative and work without supervision
Able to prioritise work and work of others
Possess excellent communication skills
Effective organization skills
Ability to communicate both verbally and non-verbally on a daily basis with people at all levels
Good observation skills
Practical problem-solving skills
Ability to work within a team
Ability to retrieve information from a wide range of sources and in different formats

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1.

Key Responsibilities

The duties and responsibilities listed below should be undertaken in accordance with levels of competence. In addition, all staff are expected to act in accordance with the values and behaviours of the Trust. Under the guidance and supervision of a registered practitioner:

To provide general information and support about cancer services, to enable people to navigate the health and social care system and make choices that are best for their cancer and their life.
A key aspect of the role involves daily and direct (e.g., face-to-face, virtual and telephone) communication with patients, relatives, carers and other health and social care professionals. The information and nature of communication required is sensitive due to the nature of cancer. Communication in this context requires a high degree of empathy, understanding, diplomacy, honesty and integrity.
To utilise verbal and non-verbal communication skills to effectively communicate with patients, their families and carers. This will include patients/carers who may or may not have barriers to communication through cognitive or physical impairment e.g. hearing or visual impairment, confusion and depression.
To meet the challenge of supporting patients living with the consequences of a cancer diagnosis. Encompassing patients receiving curative and palliative treatments and supportive care.
Establish a process of Holistic Needs Assessment. Undertaking patient assessments and formulating individual Care Plans to best suit patient needs and preferences.
To be responsible for accessing written resources to provide information for patients and carers.
To integrate the support worker role into the existing service with the aim of maintaining personalised care, ensuring an excellent level of patient experience.
To support the CNS team by contributing to the redesign of care pathways for patients with skin cancer to improve quality and patient safety.
To be undertaken by negotiation, administrative tasks currently undertaken by the CNS team i.e. monitor databases, monitoring telephone helplines.
Provide basic telephone advice and refer on or signpost to other sources of support.
Communicate and signpost to appropriate needs related information.
To be actively involved in service development plans such as Prehab etc.
Guide people, using self-assessment resources.
To strengthen the links with primary and secondary services and refer to multi-disciplinary team members as appropriate
Be proactive and motivated; to be able to identify areas of potential future role development and demonstrate how this will contribute to an enhanced provision of patient care within the team.
To undertake specific supervised and unsupervised work, organising and prioritising own caseload (within clearly defined boundaries).
To directly support patients with non-complex needs, providing practical support and advice.

2. Mental and emotional effort

Make sure that people affected by cancer are aware that they are interacting with a healthcare professional and know about the full range of resources and services available.
Understand that there will be frequent exposure to distressing/highly distressing situations and when to seek appropriate support/advice.
Demonstrate an awareness of the limits of own practice and knowledge and when to seek appropriate support/advice.

3. Most challenging part of the job

Frequent exposure to emotional challenges when dealing with relatives and/or carers coping with uncertainty, loss of status/role, grief and physical change.
Frequent use of IT equipment, e.g. laptops.
Occasional exposure to aggressive or abusive patients or relatives.
To utilise the appropriate skills to communicate and assess patients being or having been treated for cancer or receiving supportive care.
Assisting patients to contribute to the development of their own care plan, empowering them to make decisions at times where there may be anxiety and uncertainty.
To encourage patients to enrol in prehab recommendations to optimise outcomes.
To motivate patients to…

Cancer Support Worker, Band 4