Registered Nurse - Plastics & Breast Scrub Cluster

This Registered Nurse post sits in the Plastics & Breast Cluster at Southmead Hospital, Bristol NHS Foundation Trust. The work centres on scrub and circulating roles across breast reconstruction, hand, head and neck and sarcoma surgery, running lists and supervising junior staff. The theatre is a Major Trauma Centre for the South West, and patients move through Medirooms that combine recovery, day-case and admission areas.

Fit depends on current NMC registration or registered ODP status.

• Take part in all aspects of clinical operating department work, providing high standards of patient care and safety in line with Trust policy and legal requirements
• Work as a skilled member of the perioperative and multidisciplinary team, helping assess, develop and evaluate programmes of care for patients in theatre and other invasive procedure areas
• Run theatre lists efficiently and competently, following policies and procedures
• Be competent in scrub and circulating technique and procedures
• Supervise junior and unqualified colleagues, advising on patient assessment and interpreting acute and other conditions
• Deputise for the Team Leader when required and experience allows
• Take part in safety procedures, including briefings, the safer surgery checklist, swab, needle and instrument counts and management of clinical specimens
• Manage allocated resources in scrub and circulating areas, including helping plan the daily allocation of team members
• Care for and maintain instruments, equipment and consumables in your area, and report stock or equipment needs
• Act on faulty equipment under Trust policy and take part in ordering and training on new equipment
• Keep the department clean and organised, with supplies correctly cleaned, in working order and stored
• Support Theatre Managers in developing and reviewing policies for the safe use of equipment and hazardous substances

• Evidence of ongoing professional development

• Current live NMC registration as a registered nurse, or registered ODP status

• Effective verbal and written communication, including report writing and record keeping
• Contribution to team development
• Sound knowledge of NMC or HCPC code of professional conduct and current perioperative issues
• Excellent organisational skills
• Proven problem-solving ability
• Ability to remain calm under pressure

• Teaching and assessing qualification (998 or equivalent), or a place on such a course after 2 years post registration
• Post-basic specialist qualification, such as perioperative modules or Surgical First Assistant
• Experience at Band 5 across a range of surgical specialties

• Access to development opportunities
• Bespoke training programmes and development days from the Perioperative Development Team