Welcome

NHS Direct Nurse Advisor Is this the job for me? Working at NHS Direct is very different from working anywhere else in the health service We do not train our new recruits to be nurses, but to use their nursing skills in a different way The following slides will challenge you, they are not meant to be off putting, rather to tell it as it is, so there are no surprises for new staff and also show that we understand what you will be feeling and that you will be supported

Questions to ask yourself! Am I competent in using a computer? Am I flexible? Am I committed? Can I work well under pressure? Can I deal with stressful situations? Can I use critical thinking’? Do I thrive in a fast-changing environment? Am I a team player? Do I strive to continuously improve my performance? Do I want to provide a quality service?

Using a computer You must be able to use a computer, feel confident in opening and closing programs, accessing and using e-mail and the intranet You do not need to be a touch typists Once someone has been successful in interview and assessment and had a provisional job offer, support can be given re IT skills (Elite basic IT skills and e-type) if requested before staff commence employment

Am I flexible? We are a 24-hour service and are busiest in the evenings/weekends/bank holidays (out-of-hours) Shift times and patterns are different to hospitals, we need staff on duty when calls come in You will be rostered to meet the needs of the service

Can I work well under pressure? At busy times calls are transferred continuously to nurses You will have targets to meet, which will be explained to you by your manager We pride ourselves on delivering an excellent, safe service with the correct outcomes for our callers, at times this is challenging so we need staff who are committed to work with us to achieve this In line with the rest of the NHS we have to work to targets, these are set by our commissioner the East of England Health Authority, and include things like how quickly we answer calls, return calls to patients and outcome We have financial penalties if we don’t achieve our targets from our commissioner This means a greater focus on performance management than possibly in other parts of the NHS However new staff are given time to develop their competencies on using the system and supported to do this

Types of calls You will need the ability to “switch” from one speciality to another As well as general calls you will get specific calls about : Mental Health Suicidal calls Paediatric calls But you will receive specialist training in dealing with these

Can I use critical thinking? You must be able to: Not jump to conclusions Not make assumptions Reflect on your actions Analyse and evaluate information Consider is my outcome the right one for the patient rather than what the patient wants?

Do I thrive in a fast-changing environment? Our system is constantly being reviewed and updated to take account of the latest research and evidenced based practice, the whole of the NHS is embarking on a period of change and we will be included in this This may include: System changes / upgrades Changes to type of calls received Changes to way calls are dealt with Different models for different services Introduction of new services Continuous new guidance / procedures being introduced You will be supported through these changes and given training as required

Am I a team player? Working with others supporting them Considerate of others, keeping workstations clean and tidy, we hot desk Covering for breaks Swapping shifts

Do I strive to continuously improve my performance? Do you want to improve and always give your best performance We want staff who are willing to improve, take on new challenges and keep themselves up to date Are you able to accept and act on constructive criticism and feedback from team leaders/colleagues Are you able to learn from mistakes Are you able to Identify your own areas for development and want to develop them

Do I want to provide a quality service? Do you: Take a pride in your work Want to provide the best service for the patients Care about what you’re doing One measure of quality is by using call reviews, and each nurse will have 4 calls reviewed each month, with feedback given

Answered “Yes” to all these questions? Then this is the job for you!!

Training Two weeks classroom training; learning how to use our systems and your nursing skills in a different way Then its three weeks supported practice, a transition from the classroom to independent practice whilst being supported by experienced nurses

Assessment milestones Classroom – achieving success in skills functionality & achieving a safe practice call ire showing us you can use the system Week 1 supported practice – achieving three consecutive safe/satisfactory calls Week 2 supported practice – achieving five safe/satisfactory calls out of eight, plus achieving satisfactory results in two generic call reviews Week 3 supported practice – achieving sign off by manager