Registered General Nurse

Registered General Nurse

Abbeycare Scotland

Reports to: Clinical Practice Manager

Hours: Day Shift on a 7 Day Rota 42 Hours per Week

Salary: £38,766.00

Closing date: TBC

**Job Purpose**

The Staff Nurse will provide safe, effective, person-centred nursing care to adults undertaking substance use detoxification and rehabilitation at Abbeycare Scotland. The postholder will contribute to the delivery of an abstinence-based, trauma-informed and recovery-focused programme, while maintaining high standards of medicines management, clinical assessment, withdrawal monitoring, clinical and visual observations, risk management, documentation, escalation and clinical governance.

The staff nurses will work within their professional scope of practice, the Abbeycare policies and procedures, prescribed treatment plans and agreed clinical pathways. Where a client’s presentation falls outside the service’s capability, the nurse must recognise this promptly and escalate for medical review or emergency care.

**Core Responsibilities**

– Provide safe, compassionate and non-judgemental nursing care that respects dignity, privacy, autonomy, equality, human rights and individual choice.
– Complete and contribute to comprehensive nursing assessments, care planning, risk assessments, reviews and discharge planning.
– Recognise the physical and psychological effects of alcohol and/or drug withdrawal, intoxication, overdose, medication effects and co-existing health conditions.
– Undertake clinical observations and visual observations at the frequency and level prescribed by the clients care plan, risk assessment and clinical presentation.
– Identify deterioration, abnormal observations, changes in mental state, seizure risk, falls risk, self-harm/suicide risk, overdose risk and other clinical concerns and escalate without delay.
– Communicate effectively with the multidisciplinary team and ensure relevant clinical information is handed over accurately.
– Maintain accurate, contemporaneous, objective and confidential clinical records, including electronic records/eMAR where applicable.
– Support clients to understand their treatment, medicines, recovery care plan, health needs and harm-reduction information.
– Promote an environment that is trauma-informed, psychologically safe, recovery-oriented and consistent with the service’s abstinence-based model.
– Participate in clinical governance, incident reporting, learning from adverse events and continuous quality improvement.

**Medicines Management**

The Staff Nurse will:

– Administer medicines safely and in accordance with valid prescriptions, local medicines policies, competency requirements and the NMC Code.
– Undertake appropriate checks before administration, including client identity, medicine, dose, route, time, indication and relevant clinical parameters.
– Safely administer and monitor prescribed detoxification medicines and other medicines within competence, including medicines requiring enhanced monitoring.
– Recognise and respond to adverse drug reactions, over-sedation, respiratory depression, withdrawal complications, intoxication and other medication-related deterioration.
– Complete medicines administration records accurately and promptly, recording omissions, refusals, PRN use, errors and concerns in accordance with policy.
– Maintain safe custody, storage, stock control, reconciliation and disposal arrangements within the responsibilities delegated to the role.
– Report medication incidents, near misses, discrepancies and controlled-drug concerns immediately through the appropriate escalation route.
– Provide clients with appropriate information about medicines, including purpose, common side effects, risks and safe use, within professional scope.
– Work collaboratively with the prescriber/NMP, pharmacist, GP and other relevant professionals regarding medication review and clinical concerns.
– Never administer a medicine where the prescription, client, dose, route, timing or clinical circumstances are unclear; seek clarification before administration.

**Clinical and Visual Observations**

– Undertake physical and clinical observations appropriate to the client’s presentation, prescribed detoxification protocol and risk assessment.
– Carry out visual observations safely, respectfully and at the required frequency, recording findings accurately and escalating deviations from baseline.
– Monitor relevant parameters such as respiratory rate, oxygen saturation where indicated, pulse, blood pressure, temperature, level of consciousness, withdrawal symptoms, sedation and mental state.
– Use approved withdrawal assessment tools and clinical scoring systems where required by the service protocol and ensure scores are interpreted alongside clinical judgement.
– Recognise red flags requiring urgent escalation, including significant reduction in consciousness, respiratory compromise, seizure activity, severe withdrawal, delirium, suspected overdose, acute mental health crisis or other significant deterioration.
– Ensure enhanced observations are proportionate, least restrictive and clearly documented, with review and reduction when clinically safe.
– Respond appropriately to emergency situations within competence, including initiating emergency procedures, seeking medical assistance and following resuscitation/emergency protocols.

**Clinical Assessment, Care Planning and Recovery Support**

– Contribute to admission health assessments and establish relevant physical and mental health baselines.
– Identify health promotion needs, long-term conditions, nutritional concerns, sleep issues, pain, sexual health needs and other relevant health priorities.
– Contribute to person-centred care plans that reflect assessed needs, strengths, risks, goals and preferences.
– Review nursing needs following changes in presentation and contribute to multidisciplinary reviews.
– Support safe transitions and discharge planning, including communication with relevant community/primary care services.
– Provide health education and evidence-based harm-reduction information, including overdose awareness and naloxone information where appropriate to the service pathway.
– Work in a manner consistent with the service’s abstinence-based treatment philosophy while ensuring clinical care remains evidence-based, non-stigmatising and respectful

**Clinical Audit and Quality Improvement**

The Staff Nurse will participate actively in clinical governance and audit. Responsibilities may include:

– Completing scheduled clinical audits assigned by the Clinical Lead/Clinical Practice Manager.
– Undertaking medicines-management audits, eMAR/MAR checks, controlled-drug checks or other medication-related audits within competence.
– Auditing clinical observations, care records, risk assessments, documentation, incident records and other agreed clinical indicators.
– Collecting accurate audit data and identifying trends, gaps, recurring errors and opportunities for improvement.
– Contributing to action plans arising from audits, incidents, complaints, safeguarding concerns, inspections or clinical reviews.
– Demonstrating evidence that agreed actions have been implemented and sustained.
– Sharing learning with colleagues through handovers, team meetings, supervision, training and reflective practice.
– Supporting a culture in which incidents and near misses are used for learning and improvement rather than blame.

**Safeguarding, Risk and Professional Practice**

– Recognise and respond to safeguarding concerns, including adults at risk of harm, self-neglect, exploitation, abuse, coercion, self-harm and suicide risk.
– Follow the service’s adult protection, safeguarding, incident, whistleblowing and escalation procedures.
– Maintain professional boundaries and avoid dual relationships with clients.
– Protect confidentiality and handle personal and health information lawfully and securely.
– Recognise when consent, capacity, confidentiality or information-sharing issues require senior or specialist advice.
– Report unsafe practice, concerns about colleagues, medication errors or other risks through appropriate professional and organisational channels.
– Participate in investigations, reviews and learning processes when required.

**Communication and Documentation**

– Provide concise, factual and clinically relevant verbal handovers.
– Record assessments, interventions, observations, medicines, incidents, escalation and outcomes contemporaneously.
– Ensure records distinguish clearly between observed facts, client-reported information, clinical judgement and actions taken.
– Share relevant information with the multidisciplinary team while maintaining confidentiality and lawful information governance.
– Communicate sensitively with clients and, where appropriate and authorised, families/nominated persons and external professionals.

**Required Qualifications and Professional Registration**

– Registered Nurse – RGN/Adult Nurse or RMN/Mental Health Nurse, with current registration with the NMC.
– Evidence of maintaining professional competence and continuing professional development.
– Experience in substance use, detoxification, mental health, acute nursing, community nursing or another clinically relevant setting is desirable.
– Evidence of competence in medicines administration and clinical assessment.
– Ability to work within professional scope and recognise limitations requiring escalation.

**Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience**

– Experience of alcohol and/or drug withdrawal management.
– Knowledge of substance-related physical and mental health presentations.
– Understanding of trauma-informed practice and psychologically informed care.
– Experience of clinical observations, withdrawal scoring and deterioration/escalation.
– Understanding of safeguarding and adult protection in Scotland.
– Experience of clinical audit, quality improvement and governance.
– Knowledge of 12-step recovery principles and/or CBT-informed approaches is desirable.
– Understanding of dual diagnosis/co-occurring mental health and substance use needs.
– Strong written and verbal communication skills.
– Ability to remain calm and professional in challenging or emergency situations.

**Training and Competency Requirements**

The nurse must complete and maintain training/competence relevant to the role, which may include:

– Medicines management and medication competency assessment.
– Controlled drugs awareness and safe management.
– Substance use detoxification and withdrawal recognition.
– Basic/Immediate Life Support and emergency response, as required by service policy.
– Adult Support and Protection / safeguarding.
– Suicide and self-harm awareness and response.
– Trauma-informed practice.
– Infection prevention and control.
– Moving and handling, fire safety and other mandatory organisational training.
– Information governance/data protection and confidentiality.
– Clinical documentation and incident reporting.
– Any additional competency required by the service’s clinical protocols or prescribing arrangements.

**Accountability and Governance**

The postholder is professionally accountable to the NMC and operationally accountable within the Abbeycare management structure. The nurse must comply with the NMC Code, work within competence, maintain professional registration and seek appropriate support when clinical needs exceed their competence or the service’s resources.

The role contributes directly to the service’s regulatory readiness by maintaining safe practice, accurate records, effective medicines management, evidence of clinical oversight, participation in audit and demonstrable continuous improvement.

**Key Legislation, Standards and Best-Practice Frameworks**

– Public Services Reform (Scotland) Act 2010 – framework for regulation and inspection of care services in Scotland.
– Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Requirements for Care Services) Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/210), as applicable to the registered service.
– Social Care and Social Work Improvement Scotland (Registration) Regulations 2011 (SSI 2011/28), as applicable.
– Health and Social Care Standards: My Support, My Life – dignity, respect, compassion, inclusion, responsive care and wellbeing.
– Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates.
– NMC Standards of Proficiency for Registered Nurses.
– Scottish Government Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) Standards: Access, Choice, Support – particularly relevant where clients have opioid dependence or MAT needs.
– Adult Support and Protection (Scotland) Act 2007 and current Code of Practice.
– Data Protection Act 2018 and UK GDPR – confidentiality, lawful processing and information governance.
– Human Rights Act 1998 and Equality Act 2010 – rights, dignity, equality and non-discrimination.
– Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 and associated controlled-drug requirements, where applicable.
– Relevant Scottish Government, NHS Scotland, SIGN and other current evidence-based clinical guidance applicable to substance use, withdrawal, prescribing, emergency care and mental health.

**Role-Specific Performance Indicators**

– Medicines are administered safely and documentation is complete and accurate.
– Clinical and visual observations are completed at the required frequency, and clinically significant changes are escalated appropriately.
– Clinical records are contemporaneous, accurate and person centred.
– Required audits are completed accurately and within agreed timescales.
– Audit findings and incident learning are translated into demonstrable improvements.
– Mandatory training and clinical competencies remain current.
– Clients receive safe, respectful, trauma-informed nursing care.
– Professional boundaries, confidentiality and safeguarding requirements are consistently maintained.

**General Conditions**

– This job description is intended as a guide to the principal duties and responsibilities and is not exhaustive.
– Duties may be reviewed in response to service development, regulatory requirements, clinical guidance or organisational need.
– All staff must comply with the organisation’s policies, procedures, clinical protocols and professional standards.
– The postholder must participate in supervision, appraisal, reflective practice and continuing professional development.
– The postholder must raise concerns promptly were client safety, staff safety or service quality may be compromised.

Pay: £38,766.00 per year

Benefits:

– Company pension
– On-site parking
– Sick pay

Work Location: In person