Senior Staff Nurse

The Band 6 Senior Staff Nurse plays a key leadership role within the cardiac ward, providing advanced clinical expertise, senior oversight, and high-quality patient care for individuals with acute and complex cardiac conditions. As a senior member of the nursing team, the post-holder supports the Ward Manager in ensuring safe, effective, and evidence-based practice across the unit.

The role involves coordinating the daily running of the ward, supervising junior staff, and delivering specialist cardiac care, including the management of patients with acute coronary syndromes, heart failure, arrhythmias, post-angiography/PCI care, and those requiring cardiac monitoring. The Band 6 nurse acts as a clinical role model, promoting excellence in patient care, supporting staff development, and contributing to continuous quality improvement.

The post-holder will be expected to demonstrate strong leadership, advanced assessment skills, and the ability to make sound clinical decisions in a fast-paced environment. They will work closely with the multidisciplinary team including cardiologists, cardiac CNS, cath Lab pharmacists, and rehabilitation teams to ensure seamless, patient-centred care.

This role is ideal for an experienced cardiac nurse who is passionate about developing specialist skills, leading teams, and improving outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease.

Act as the nurse in charge of the cardiac ward, providing senior clinical leadership on each shift.

Ensure safe staffing levels, appropriate skill mix, and effective patient allocation based on acuity.

Lead the management of patients with acute coronary syndromes, STEMI/NSTEMI, arrhythmias, heart failure, post-angiography/PCI care, and cardiac monitoring.

Make timely clinical decisions and escalate deteriorating patients using NEWS and cardiac escalation pathways.

Provide visible leadership to maintain safety, flow, and high-quality care.

Provide real-time supervision, guidance, and clinical support to Band 5 nurses, HCAs, students, and new starters.

Act as a role model for high-quality cardiac nursing practice.

Conduct competency assessments (e.g., ECG interpretation, telemetry, chest pain assessment).

Support staff wellbeing and help prevent burnout by offering senior presence and mentorship.

Contribute to recruitment, induction, and retention of staff.

Our people are our greatest asset. When we feel supported and happy at work, this positivity reaches those very people we are here for, the patients. Engaged employees perform at their best and our Equality, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) initiatives contribute to cultivate a culture of engagement. We have four staff networks, a corporate EDI Team and a suite of programmes and events which aim to insert the 5 aspirations:

• Improving representation at senior levels of staff with disabilities, from black, Asian, and ethnic minorities background, identify as LGBTQ+ and women, through improved recruitment and leadership development
• Widening access (anchor institution) and employability
• Improving the experience of staff with disability
• Improving the EDI literacy and confidence of trust staff through training and development
• Making equalities mainstream

The Band 6 Senior Staff Nurse is a key clinical leader within the cardiac ward, responsible for delivering highquality specialist cardiac care, providing senior oversight on every shift, and ensuring safe, effective coordination of the ward. The postholder supports the Ward Manager in maintaining clinical standards, supervising junior staff, and ensuring the safe management of patients with acute and complex cardiac conditions.

The role requires advanced cardiac knowledge, strong leadership skills, and the ability to make timely clinical decisions in a fastpaced, highacuity environment.

• Act as the nurse in charge, providing visible senior leadership and clinical support across the ward.
• Ensure safe staffing levels, appropriate skill mix, and effective patient allocation based on acuity and clinical need.
• Lead the management of patients with: Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) Heart failure Arrhythmias (AF, SVT, bradycardias) Postangiography and postPCI care Continuous cardiac monitoring

• Acute coronary syndromes (ACS)
• Heart failure
• Arrhythmias (AF, SVT, bradycardias)
• Postangiography and postPCI care
• Continuous cardiac monitoring

The Band 6 Senior Staff Nurse is a key clinical leader within the cardiac ward, responsible for delivering highquality specialist cardiac care, providing senior oversight on every shift, and ensuring safe, effective coordination of the ward. The postholder supports the Ward Manager in maintaining clinical standards, supervising junior staff, and ensuring the safe management of patients with acute and complex cardiac conditions.

The role requires advanced cardiac knowledge, strong leadership skills, and the ability to make timely clinical decisions in a fastpaced, highacuity environment.

• Act as the nurse in charge, providing visible senior leadership and clinical support across the ward.
• Ensure safe staffing levels, appropriate skill mix, and effective patient allocation based on acuity and clinical need.
• Lead the management of patients with: Acute coronary syndromes (ACS) Heart failure Arrhythmias (AF, SVT, bradycardias) Postangiography and postPCI care Continuous cardiac monitoring

• Acute coronary syndromes (ACS)
• Heart failure
• Arrhythmias (AF, SVT, bradycardias)
• Postangiography and postPCI care
• Continuous cardiac monitoring

Qualifications and training

• - 1st level registration NMC ENB 998 / Adult mentorship course or working towards. Completed ECG/cardiac course. To have worked as a Band 5 staff nurse on a cardiac ward for at least 2 years. To demonstrate knowledge of being up to date within the speciality - ie managing cardiac patients, worked with learners in a supervisory capacity. Broad based nursing experience.
• Diploma / Degree level/masters study in a clinically relevant course i.e. HDU / Acutely ill Adult / ALS

• Experience - 1st level registration NMC ENB 998 / Adult mentorship course or working towards. Completed ECG/cardiac course. To have worked as a Band 5 staff nurse on a cardiac ward for at least 2 years. To demonstrate knowledge of being up to date within the speciality - ie managing cardiac patients, worked with learners in a supervisory capacity. Broad based nursing experience.
• clinical supervisor/assessor

personal qualities

• Ability to work under pressure and remain calm - Able to recognise stress in self and others and support colleagues through stressful situations. Patient focused. Reflective Flexible, able to work all shifts including rotation to night duty. Adaptable to changes in shift pattern To provide unit cover in the absence of the unit manager
• Ability to manage others under stressful circumstances

Qualifications and training

• - 1st level registration NMC ENB 998 / Adult mentorship course or working towards. Completed ECG/cardiac course. To have worked as a Band 5 staff nurse on a cardiac ward for at least 2 years. To demonstrate knowledge of being up to date within the speciality - ie managing cardiac patients, worked with learners in a supervisory capacity. Broad based nursing experience.
• Diploma / Degree level/masters study in a clinically relevant course i.e. HDU / Acutely ill Adult / ALS

• Experience - 1st level registration NMC ENB 998 / Adult mentorship course or working towards. Completed ECG/cardiac course. To have worked as a Band 5 staff nurse on a cardiac ward for at least 2 years. To demonstrate knowledge of being up to date within the speciality - ie managing cardiac patients, worked with learners in a supervisory capacity. Broad based nursing experience.
• clinical supervisor/assessor

personal qualities

• Ability to work under pressure and remain calm - Able to recognise stress in self and others and support colleagues through stressful situations. Patient focused. Reflective Flexible, able to work all shifts including rotation to night duty. Adaptable to changes in shift pattern To provide unit cover in the absence of the unit manager
• Ability to manage others under stressful circumstances

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer name

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust

London

SE18 4QH

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)

Employer name

Lewisham and Greenwich NHS Trust

Address

Queen Elizabeth Hospital

Queen Elizabeth Hospital NHS Trust

London

SE18 4QH

United Kingdom

Employer's website

https://www.lewishamandgreenwich.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)