Registered Nurse at Discovery Limited

Key purpose

• The Palliative Nurse will play a key role in the care and co-ordination of Discovery Health members in the palliative stage of care. The Palliative Nurse will be expected to manage patients as defined by the World Health Organisation in their home environment, “Palliative Care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering, the early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychosocial and spiritual”.

Key Outputs
The successful applicant will be responsible for but not limited to the following job functions:

• To Maximise quality of life through patient centred, holistic care
• Assessment and facilitation of pain control
• Understanding principles of pain relief and side effects of treatment
• Management of the administration of medication e.g., syringe drivers
• Management of other physical symptoms, e.g., N+V, constipation, impaction, diarrhoea, cough and dyspnoea, delirium, dementia, and malodorous wounds
• Management of the terminal phase
• Assessment and facilitation of psychosocial and spiritual care
• Empowers and supports to help the family during the patient’s illness and bereavement
• Management of ethical dilemmas in the dying patient
• Communicate and coordinate patient needs effectively with the Multi-Disciplinary Team
• Monitors and evaluates quality of care
• Provides hands on care when required
• Educates patient and family to assist them in making informed decisions
• Advocates for care that benefits palliative patients
• Assessment of needs to provide relief from pain and other distressing symptoms including monitoring of vital signs
• Management of symptoms including but not limited to; administration of injections, insertion of syringe drivers, IV cannulation and administration of medication. Bowel evacuation manual removal or the insertion and administration of suppositories or fleet enemas.
• Management of skin integrity by means of supporting pressure areas and dressings
• Assist with organization and management of medication
• Accurate record keeping of care and visits
• Communication within the MDT to ensure that concerns and needs are addressed with the treating Dr, Social Worker etc
• Affirm life and regards dying as a normal process
• Neither hasten nor postpone death
• Integrates the psychological and spiritual aspects of patient care
• Offer a support system to help patients live as actively as possible until death

Competencies

• Ability to work independently
• Being able to work effectively within a team as well
• Excellent communication skills with an ability of being able to break bad news constructively
• Resilient and flexible
• Industry knowledge
• Ability to build strong relationships with all stakeholders
• Caring and compassionate
• Professional
• Ability to follow instructions as well as effectively communicating instructions
• Dedicated to the best interest of the patient
• Patient Advocacy
• Conscientious
• Reliable and responsive.

Experience, qualifications, and mandatory requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree/ Diploma in Nursing
• Minimum 5-day Introduction to palliative Care training
• Minimum 6-12 months palliative experience
• Must be registered with HPCSA and practicing
• Computer literate
• Valid driver’s license with own transport

Advantageous

• Specialty in Pain management
• Flexible availability
• Experience in Home Based Care
• Counselling skills