Surgical Care Practitioner - Orthopaedics

We are delighted to offer this development opportunity within our Care Group as a Surgical Care Practitioner (SCP) within the Orthopaedic service for immediate commencement.

The post is full time band 7 position, band 8a if qualified surgical care practitioner and meets national framework criteria. The successful candidate will work across the Orthopaedic service in the theatre complex, wards and outpatient departments for hours of full time (37.5 hours per week)

This is a busy department and you will be required to work alongside the all the Orthopaedic surgeons and nursing teams to deliver high quality peri operative support to our service users.

Experience in the theatre setting and / or orthopaedic care is advantageous. The role requires the post holder to successfully complete the 2-year surgical care practitioner course. It is therefore essential to have attained a degree or have evidence of recent study at level 6 to meet the admission criteria to secure a place on the course. Support and supervision will be given throughout the duration of the SCP course.

Main duties of the job:

Work in collaboration with the multidisciplinary team to provide surgical interventions using advanced skills and expert knowledge which frequently require in-depth mental attention and intense concentration.

Act as first or second assistant in specialist field of orthopaedic surgery.

Liaise with the orthopaedic Nursing team and other professionals both pre and post-operatively. Arrange appropriate investigations and clinic appointments.

Preoperative and post operative assessment and counselling of patients and carers.

Prescribe medications using expertise and evidence based practice once Non Medical Prescribing qualification attained as part of admission and discharge process.

Prepare discharge letters, prescriptions and post op advice for elective Surgery on base wards and day case.

Theatre / surgical skills.

The understanding of ‘theatre discipline’ and the roles and responsibilities of all members of the Theatre team.

Will have highly developed physical skills, to be able to be the first or second assistant in lower limb Surgery.

Have thorough understanding of intra-operative radiology, including equipment and radiation protection of staff and patient.

Audit of own and others practice.

Have responsibility for service development in specialist field.

Provide specialist education and training to nursing and junior medical staff.

Detailed job description and main responsibilities:

To perform as a skilled and competent first assistant to a Consultant surgeon. To be able to competently perform the following procedures under the direct or proximal supervision of a Consultant Surgeon or appropriately experienced and competent Specialist Registrar/SHO.

• Basic surgical skills, including handling of instruments, placing of sutures and tying of knots.
• Surgical scrubbing and gowning.
• Appropriate patient preparation, positioning and draping prior to surgery
• Simple skin incisions
• Suturing\Closure of fascia and skin
• Pre and post-operative administration of local anaesthetic especially with regards to local anaesthetic day case surgery
• Teaching of such skills to inexperienced SHOs and theatre staff.

To act as a competent assistant both in the clinic and theatre settings. To understand the basic principles of assessment of traumatic and post operative wounds. To achieve necessary competency to be able to assess and initiate appropriate management pathways for simple lacerations, simple finger ligament injuries and fractures under the supervision of the Consultant.

Qualifications

Essential criteria

• Qualification
• Degree or relevant experience
• Registered Nurse / ODP
• Surgical Care Practitioner Course

Desirable criteria

• Theatre experience
• Orthopaedic experience
• SFA skills
• Non medical prescribing
• Clinical skills
• Surgical skills