ST. JOHN EYE HOSPITAL – JERUSALEM

JOB DESCRIPTION

SENIOR STAFF NURSE
Nursing
Outpatients /( Inpatients) / Theatre
Co-ordinator / Junior Sister / Charge Nurse
Nursing Director
40 per week incl of breaks
2012

Title
Department
Section
Reports to
Accountable to
Hours
Date formulated

General Statement of Duties:

•  To assist /co-ordinator in all the day to day aspects of patients’ care in the department.
•  To participate in the teaching and supervision of nursing and non-nursing staff.
•  To be responsible and accountable for the management of all patients during the span of duty.
•  Without supervision lead a team of nurses and act as a junior sister/charge nurse in the absence of

more senior nurses.

Main Responsibilities:
To demonstrate competency and perform clinical skills according to the Nursing Competency
Framework.

Clinical:
1.  To act as Team Leader to nursing team in the department.
2.  To be responsible and accountable without supervision for the assessment of care needs, the

development of plans of care, implementation and evaluation of care.
3.  To be responsible for maintaining accurate and legible documentation.
4.  To be responsible for managing all eye causalities who attend the department out of working hours.
5.  To take a leading role in managing medical emergencies in the wards, which involved liaising with the

doctor on call, other hospitals and authorities.

6.  To perform nursing skills according to own scope of practice, which should include making informed

decisions.

7.  To be responsible for the custody of all drugs in the department including Controlled Drugs.  To also

be responsible for ensuring a regular check of out of date drugs in responsible area.

8.  To be responsible for communication to patients and their families concerning aspects of care.
9.  To ensure the sharing of clinical and theoretical knowledge to promote evidence based practice, to

encourage a positive approach to health education.

10. To maintain harmonious relationships with all nursing and non- nursing staff in the hospital and to

promote caring atmosphere.

11. To liaise with other multidisciplinary teams to ensure evidence based approach to care and effective

discharge procedures.

12. To assist in other Wards and/ or Departments of the Hospital if the clinical situation or staffing levels
demand. To help any other department if that department is unable to remain self-contained because
of its own demands.

Managerial

•  To act as a coordinator for the planning of nursing care to patients for own team and in the

absence of junior sister/charge nurse and department Co-ordinator.

•  To report incidents, accidents, complaints or other undue occurrences with current policy.
•

In liaison with the co-ordinator/junior sisters/ charge nurse to participate in handling of formal
and informal complaints.

•  To ensure the equipment used or stored within the area is in good working order, liaising with

appropriate departments as necessary.

•  To ensure adequate and economical levels of stock items are maintained.
•  To assist with induction of all new staff in area.

Professional and Educational:

•  To ensure patient confidentiality is maintained at all times.
•  To ensure at all times care provided to patients is delivered in a professional, courteous and

empathetic manner.  Respect the different beliefs and backgrounds of colleagues, clients, visitors
and patients.

•  To participate in nursing audits appropriate to the Department.
•  To be a role model by practising alongside the nursing team.
•  To act as a mentor to students and support new members of the team, multi-professional staff and

patients.

•  To attend mandatory training, as identified by Hospital’s management.
•  To attend in-service training lectures and be actively involved in the planning and delivery of

lectures/sessions at the department level.

Duties Specific to Particular Areas:

Wards:

•  To act as a coordinator of care and a team leader during a span of duty in a specific department/s.
•  To take responsibility for the admission and discharge of patients.

Theatre:

•  To assist in the implantation and practice of all concepts of infection control.
•  To assist with care and control of stocks in instruments and equipment, particular to the Theatre

area.

Clinic:

•  To supervise the admission of patients.
•  To supervise the correct booking of patients for surgery and specialised clinics.

General Responsibilities:

1.  All staff are expected to report for work on time and fulfil their hours of duty, from time to time some
flexibility may be required in order to meet the needs of the job and this may be outside regular hours
of work.

2.  All staff are expected to promote and contribute to a cooperative and productive work environment.
Staff are also expected to show respect and consideration to their colleagues and all patients and
visitors to the hospital.

3.  All staff are expected to follow the dress code for their area of work.  All uniforms as required by
different work areas should be worn at all times.  Staff who do not have a uniform are expected to
wear appropriate, respectful, modest business dress.  Jeans are not considered appropriate attire.
4.  The hospital is a no smoking hospital and smoking is only permitted in the designated smoking areas

and only during official break periods.

5.  All staff will abide by confidentiality rules and will not disclose any information about patients, the
staff or the workings of the hospital, except in certain circumstances where express permission is
given as per the Confidentiality Policy.

6.  All staff are expected to comply at all times with the requirements of Health and Safety regulations

and to take responsibility for the health and safety and welfare of others in the working environment
ensuring that agreed safety procedures are carried out to maintain a safe environment.

7.  The Hospital has a Control of Visits in the Hospital and Security of Workers policy in order to help

protect patients, visitors and staff and to safeguard their property.  All employees have a responsibility
to ensure that those persons using the Hospital and its service are as secure as possible.

8.  The Hospital is committed to equality and all staff are expected to treat colleagues, patients and

visitors to the Hospital with dignity and respect, regardless of their ethic background, religion, race,
gender, age or sexual orientation.

9.  All staff are expected to familiarise themselves with the requirements of the Hospitals policies and

procedures for staff and also their specific area of work.

10. All appointments within the Hospital are subject to pre-employment health screening.
11. All staff are responsible for ensuring that all risks of cross infection to patients are minimised and that

all policies, procedures and guidance relating to infection control practice are adhered to.
12. All staff are responsible, where relevant, for ensuring that all equipment used by patients is

clean/decontaminated as instructed by manufacturers and in line with the infection control/guidelines
protocol and policy.

13. The job description gives a general outline of the duties of the position and is not intended to be an
inflexible or finite list of tasks.  It may be varied, from time to time, after consultation with the
member of staff.

14. Any other duties as designated by your manager and which are commensurate with the grade.

Essential Requirements for the Post:

Registered nurse qualification.
Ophthalmic nursing qualification
Mentorship training.
Significant experience in ophthalmology at ta staff nurses level (at last 5 years)
Competent performing  a range of ophthalmic nursing skills according to the Nursing

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            Competency Framework.
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Manual dexterity

Desirable
•

Knowledge of clinical governance and evidence based practise.

Name: _____________________________________ Date: ______________________

Signed: _________________________________________

ST JOHN EYE HOSPITAL - JERUSALEM
Nursing Department
Competency Framework (Matrix)

Skill

ON

LPN

SN/SSN

1.  History Taking. G
2.  VA testing. G
3.  Syringing and Schirmer’s test. C,OR
4.  Eye irrigation. C,W,OR
5.  Epilation and lid hygiene. C, W, OR
6.  Removal of corneal and conj FB. G
7.  Eye dressing and topical treatment

instillation. G

8.  Care of ocular prosthesis. G
9.  Care of contact lenses. G
10. Basic eye exam using a slitlamp. G
11. Use of direct ophthalmoscope. G
12. Administration of Sub-conjunctival

injection.  G

13. Taking conjunctival swab.  G
14. Use of Autorefractometer. C
15. Administration of oral, S/C, IM and

rectal medications. G

16. Assisting in the administration of oral,
S/C, IM and rectal medications. G

16. Performing LAMBDA test. C,OR
17. Receiving patient in theatre, and

discharging patients to the wards.  W

18. Care of patients in theatre. T
19. Care of patients in the recovery. T
20. Setting up trolleys for Oph surgery. T
21. Scrubbing, gloving and gowning. T
22. Handling micro-surgical instruments. T
23. Assisting with surgical procedures. T
24. Admission and discharge of patients. W
25. Written and verbal communication. W
26. Preparing patients for theatre. W
27. Receiving patient form theatre (LA). W
28. Receiving patient form theatre (GA).  W
29. Post operative care of patients.  W
30. Discharging patients from Hospital.  W
31. Applanation tonometry.  G
32. A and B scan.  C &W

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NP

Coordinator

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Skill

ON   LPN   SN  CN Sr  NP  Coordinator

33. I&C of Chalazion. C
34. Removal of Corneal sutures (ECCE). G
35. Comprehensive eye exam (anterior and

posterior segment). C, W, OR
36. Pupil examination.  RAPD    G
37. Administration of IV medication.  G
38. Ocular movement.  C, W, OR
39. Cover and uncover test. C, W, OR
40. Break Up Time (BUT). C, W, OR

Key:
G:     general skill applies to all clinical

areas.

W:     skill performed usually on the
          ward areas.
C:      skill performed usually in the
          clinics.
T:      skill usually performed in theatre
OR:   skill usually performed in the
          outreach

Name:
(Please print)

Signed:

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Date: