Lung Cancer Screening Nurse - Band 8a

Lung Cancer Screening (formerly known as the Targeted Lung Health Check programme) is a national programme of work which involves identifying and screening patients who may be at high risk of developing lung cancer.

The Lung Cancer Screening Nurse will work with patients, clinicians, and other partners to implement Lung Cancer Screening across the Essex ICB. The post holder will provide clinical leadership and professional oversight of the Lung Cancer Screening pathway, supporting the assessment and management of participants and contributing to the day-to-day operational delivery of the service.

Key responsibilities:

• Communicate with patients and general practice about positive findings of LDCT
• Initiate and contribute towards a multi-disciplinary approach in the management of lung cancer
• Provide up-to-date information, support and advice to patients and their carers who have a diagnosis of lung cancer
• Act as the patient's key worker by forging close links across both primary and secondary pathways, co-ordinating seamless care delivery
• Utilise evidence-based information through a variety of communication media
• Maintain adequate patient documentation to NMC requirements
• Work collaboratively with clinicians within the multidisciplinary team
• Take responsibility for assessing and triaging patients referred on the lung cancer pathway
• Request downgrading of referral from 'suspected cancer' to routine where appropriate
• Undertake a clinical assessment including symptom assessment, past medical/surgical history and medications
• Request the appropriate diagnostic tests based on information from referral and telephone assessment
• Provide explanations and information to the patient regarding their investigations and pathway
• Liaise with endoscopy and radiology departments to ensure timely delivery of investigations
• Follow-up on test results and arrange any further investigations that are necessary
• Where cancer has been excluded, communicate the results to the patient and discharge from the cancer pathway
• Link with site-specific cancer CNS and MDT co-ordinator in the event of a positive diagnosis
• Work autonomously to provide evidence-based, comprehensive, advanced assessment, treatments and management of patients with highly complex needs
• Providing specialist care and exercising professional and clinical leadership skills to promote best practice
• Contribute to the collection, analysis and presentation of service delivery, patient outcome and key performance indicator data
• To work with and refer appropriately to other agencies to enable identified patients to be managed in a pro-active way
• To foster a culture that encourages continuous learning and develop skills in quality improvement
• To act as a clinical champion for the lung cancer pathway, promoting best practice and supporting colleagues to enhance patient care delivery
• Critically analyse research related to practice, and use findings to influence and change practice where applicable
• To use expert knowledge, advanced clinical skills and autonomous decision-making skills, in the assessment and treatment of patients with lung cancer
• To educate and empower patients and carers to identify early signs of changes in conditions
• Participate in working groups relevant to the service within and external to the Trust
• Participate in MDT meetings, as agreed by the service and lead nurse
• Provide leadership and support for the nursing teams within the diagnostic and cancer pathways
• To demonstrate robust clinical decision making, with an ability to set, monitor and improve standards of care
• To support recruitment, induction, supervision and development of staff within the Lung Cancer Screening service
• In conjunction with the lead clinician, lead nurse and service manager, embrace national recommendations and standards for lung cancers
• Act as patient advocate, ensuring ethical and legal issues are adhered to in all clinical practice
• Support the integration of theory and practice through formal and informal methods
• Assess and identify the educational needs of patients and their carers
• Uses their professional judgement in managing complex and unpredictable care events
• Provides expert professional input to appropriate health improvement programmes
• To take a lead in promoting and managing change to improve practice
• To act as a role model, to promote consistently high standards of professional practice
• To share expert knowledge, to advise, and provide support to less experienced nurses
• Identifies own development needs in line with service requirements within personal development plan
• Frequently critically appraises and synthesises the outcomes of relevant research and evaluations and applies them to improve practice
• Build a culture of audit and research in practice
• Demonstrate advanced clinical knowledge and skills in the speciality of lung cancer screening and respiratory medicine
• Manage referral of patients who are identified as having a clinical requirement
• Undertake training to be able to complete LDCT assessment
• Proactively manage a referral, tracking and outcome process for CT scans and other tests
• Ensure onward referral to other relevant care providers