Band 6 - Junior Sister/Charge Nurse, Children's Emergency Department

An exciting opportunity has arisen to join us in our Children's Emergency Department at Watford General Hospital.

The Children's Emergency Department is a purpose-built environment for children and young people aged 0-15 years and has approximately 20,000 attendances a year across our Children's Emergency and urgent care pathways. It has a dedicated 2 bedded resuscitation area within the department and is part of the major trauma network. CED is co-located with the Paediatric Assessment unit which provides short stay care for children for 24 hours.

There is also an urgent treatment centre where we triage most of the children and young people who present to the hospital.

We are a friendly dedicated team of Paediatric Nurses and Paediatric consultants. The department is committed to continuous improvements in the service and benefits from having a Paediatric Advanced Nurse Practitioner service.

There is also support from the Senior Sister/Charge Nurse band 7s within the department.

There is a vast opportunity of support and development within our service. Our Paediatric Practice Education team are dedicated to aiding your competencies within paediatrics.

We are seeking an experienced paediatric ED nurse who is passionate about improving care and service delivery within the department, meeting the needs of all our patients whilst also meeting the national standards for emergency care.

Main duties of the job

The post holder will have experience with shift management and be able to provide high standards of care to critically unwell children and help promote clinical excellence within our team. Support the management of paediatric patient flow out of CED. The post holder will provide strong clinical leadership within the department, empowering others in the team to deliver evidence-based care, adhering to national standards and local policy.

On a shift-by-shift basis co-ordinate appropriate staffing across Children's Emergency Department and Paediatrics.

Work collaboratively with all nursing and medical teams in the department and paediatric inpatient areas. The post holder should have previous experience of working in a busy and fast paced ED environment, have the ability to communicate with different teams and continually adapt to a changing environment.

Post holder would take on link role responsibility dependant on personal preferences (trauma, bereavement, risk assessment & audit and student mentoring and support).

Job responsibilities

As a Band 6 Junior Sister/Charge Nurse in the Children's Emergency Department (CED), you will deliver high-quality, evidence-based emergency care to acutely unwell and injured children and young people. You will act as a clinical role model, coordinating shifts, managing patient flow, and supporting junior staff and students.

Key responsibilities include assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating care, alongside safe triage, resuscitation, and safeguarding procedures. You will maintain accurate clinical documentation, adhere to infection control standards, and escalate clinical or operational risks promptly.

You will work collaboratively with the clinical Band 7s, Emergency Consultants, paediatricians, the wider multidisciplinary team, and families to ensure safe, family-centred care.

Benefits

We offer a variety of flexible working options as we recognise the importance of a good work life balance.

Person Specification

• RSCN/RN CHILD registered
• Have undertaken APLS or willingness to undertake within 3 months
• Knowledge of Child protection issues
• Significant experience at Band 5 within a paediatric clinical acute environment
• Previous experience in emergency nursing
• Demonstrate specialist knowledge of patient group
• Experience of shift co-ordination