A senior sister post on the haemato-oncology ward at Barnet Hospital is currently vacant and is a great opportunity for an experienced nurse who wants to develop their leadership and haemato-oncology skills.

Mike Pine, senior matron for cancer and haematology, took the opportunity to describe what life is like on Mulberry Ward.

“Mulberry is a 15 bed ward, including six side-rooms for patients that require isolation for neutropenia (have a low white blood cell count) or privacy for terminal care. The senior sister will need to work closely with the chemotherapy nursing team in the adjacent day care unit, and the acute oncology and haematology teams, who are based on the ward. The nursing team includes four band 6 junior sisters supported by staff nurses and nursing assistants.

“The busy morning ward schedule includes nursing handover, drug administration, consultant treatment planning plus multi-disciplinary assessment and care from physiotherapy, occupational therapy, dietetic and complementary therapy practitioners.

“Also included in the nurses day is intravenous chemotherapy and blood transfusion, plus nursing care planning, clinical audit, discharge planning and family meetings. Teaching sessions are also scheduled in the afternoon to keep the ward staff up to date.”

Essential parts of the senior sister role are staff management and development, provision of safe high quality nursing care, improving patient experience and facilitating well organised discharge planning to ensure that patients are not delayed going home and have community support where necessary. The specialist palliative care team play a major role in the care of many of the Mulberry patients and the senior sister ensures that the nursing team are providing excellent end of life care and are working closely with the palliative care team.

“The applicant need not have in-depth experience of haematology or oncology nursing as long as she or he can demonstrate a commitment to professional development, has leadership experience at junior sister level in another acute setting and is keen to learn and attend specialist training,” explained Mike.

“We are looking for someone who has a real enthusiasm to learn the necessary skills, and the drive and ambition to take on the rewarding challenge of being senior sister for Mulberry Ward.”

Apply today.