About
At Fitzpatrick Referrals, we have a team of five clinical nurse leads who are experienced, senior members of the nursing team. They are the “go-to person” for the members of the team that they directly line manage.
They lead the veterinary nurses and veterinary care assistants by motivating them to contribute to the practice objectives, as well as inspiring them to pursue their own professional goals. They also coordinate the teams to ensure that the hospital works as efficiently as possible while maximising patient care and welfare.
Role of the Clinical Nurse Lead
- They coordinate the teams effectively by using their communication and organisational skills to delegate tasks where appropriate. Other skills involve decision-making and problem-solving.
- Arrange 1-2-1 chats with the members of their team every three months to touch base with them in regards to their own learning and development, to get to know them better, and to understand what their strengths are and what they enjoy doing.
- They use their knowledge and experience to provide coaching and guidance to the nursing team, this may be in a clinical setting or they may use the hospital’s lecture theatre to provide in-house training.
- Help the Human Resources team with recruitment of new veterinary nurses and veterinary care assistants by interviewing candidates for the various positions.
- Help with the onboarding process when new members of the team join by providing their mentoring scheme booklet and assigning another team member to be their mentor. This also involves having regular mentor meetings with the new team member, to ensure that they are progressing well and integrating well within the team. This gives the new team member an opportunity to reflect and identify areas for their own improvement.
- Review and update protocols and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) continuously to ensure that procedures are carried out safely and to a high standard while following recommendations from up-to-date veterinary research.
- Work alongside the clinical resource coordinator to form a staff rota that ensures there are good staffing levels across all teams and help arrange cover where necessary.
- Take part in clinical audits to ensure that services are doing well and highlight areas for improvement in the daily running of the hospital.
- In addition to encouraging and providing team development, the clinical nurse leads are also interested in their own development and training and have completed hours of leadership CPD (Continued Professional Development).
Ultimately, our clinical nurse leads ensure that the nursing team is performing effectively to a high standard, therefore providing exceptional care at all times to the patients referred to Fitzpatrick Referrals.
My role as clinical lead nurse is very diverse, which is what I love. I get to carry on doing clinical work such as doing anaesthetics and spending time with the patients, but also have the other side of my job where I work closely with the nurses and VCAs that I line manage on a personal level. I feel really fulfilled when I think I have made a positive difference to an individual’s day to day experience at work.
Clinical Nurse Lead Fran
