Home Oxygen Nurse

A position , to cover maternity leave , has arisen in the Home Oxygen Assessment Team at Kettering General Hospital .

This award winning , innovative team play an integral part in the trusts respiratory division and the recently developed Virtual Ward program.The team review and assess referred patients who are receiving oxygen therapy with a view to maintaining excellence in oxygen related care and facilitate , where indicated , supported and monitored discharge . The team support and manage the oxygen needs of patients in the community with a combination of home visits and telephone follow ups .

The post involves assessing patients for ambulatory oxygen in the community with training and ongoing support provided to the successful applicant.

This is an exciting opportunity to develop a range of respiratory nursing skills and experience in a friendly and professional environment .

To accept patient referrals and assess , plan ,implement and evaluate appropriate oxygen therapy related care plans.

To perform and action the results of ambulatory oxygen assessments .

To review patients at home who are receiving oxygen therapy and update care plan as clinically indicated.

To carry out community visits to patients on the Virtual Ward.

The service is a small , friendly team who are committed to providing excellence in both home and secondary care oxygen therapy.

Full training is given and an opportunity to develop a range of specialist respiratory nursing skills is provided.

This will be an excellent position for a nurse who wishes to work in a specialist respiratory setting that provides the Trust with a dynamic , evidence based service.

See attached JD and PS

The role requires the collection of capillary blood samples and the use of a hand held analyzer to determine a patients blood oxygen , carbon dioxide levels and pH balance.

A patients need for ambulatory oxygen therapy or long term oxygen therapy will be guided by these results along with an assessment of the patients needs and capabilities to use the oxygen safely .

Close collaboration with ward teams and consultants is required to maintain excellence in inpatient oxygen therapy and the titration of prescribed 02 to a patients clinical need .

The role will include the onboarding of patients to the Virtual Ward as clinically & socially appropriate and conversely the rejection of patients not assessed to be suitable for the Virtual Ward .

The role demands close working relationships with capacity teams and bed managers.