Regional Community Psychiatric Nurse
combat Stress
Total years of experience :21 years, 8 Months
COMBAT STRESS - Ex Services Mental Welfare Society (UK charity specialising in the care of Veterans' mental health).
• Received referrals from multi-disciplinary agencies within the society and externally, triaging as necessary for treatment options.
• Conducted clinical assessment, diligently being aware of risk and acting accordingly to promote clients safety and make appropriate recommendations appropriate to the individual veteran.
• Delivered dedicated treatment/support to ex-Service men and women with conditions such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression, anxiety disorders, addictions and substance misuse as part of the Community Outreach Team.
• Established contact with local Community Mental Health Teams and Primary Mental Health Community Teams, General Practitioners, prison staff and probation officers with interest in caring for Ex- service personnel.
• Facilitated monthly veteran support groups delivering health promotion and education to veterans and their families.
• Provided clinical supervision for Regional Welfare Officer, Mental Health Practitioner and Desk Officers.
• Promoted Combat Stress’s purpose and role within the community through engagement with regional healthcare events and attending regular multi-disciplinary meetings with other outreach teams.
Upon reception to custody, completed assessments of patients’ mental and physical wellbeing/ needs.
• Administered and prepared medication as prescribed according to NMC guidelines.
• Supported patients who are distressed who could be at risk of harm to themselves or others, and who are at risk of suicide.
• Responded to healthcare and prison emergencies, relating to prisoners, staff and visitors, within the establishment in accordance with policies and procedures.
• Used knowledge, expertise, skills and risk assessment tools to make clinical decisions, and to inform the decisions of other healthcare professionals.
• Responded to any situation or circumstance that might indicate a threat to security, completing security information reports where appropriate.
Provided treatments such as basic Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (including Trauma Focused CBT, stress, depression, anxiety, stress management, alcohol addiction and improving self esteem). Liaison with clients immediate support network, chain of command and other healthcare agencies to ensure co-ordination of all aspects of care were in place.
•Administered and received clinical and case management supervision, continuously aware of the need to enhance the effectiveness of CPN role. Support, monitoring and guidance implemented to periodically review and assess appropriate study needs to students and junior members of the team.
•Conducted health fairs and educational briefings.
•Managed and co-ordinated the day-to-day running of the department of 14 staff in the absence of managers.
•Performed as the Liaison Officer, organising crisis management for service personnel with acute mental health conditions admitted for hospitalisation to a psychiatric impatient facility.
•Caldecott Adviser and trainer, Clinical Governance Lead, responsible for presenting new developments during regular departmental meetings.
Gained experience in Accident and Emergency, Primary Healthcare, Orthopaedic, Surgical and Medical wards.
•Posted to Northern Ireland and deployed on two operational tours to Iraq providing emergency nursing care, within a field hospital to injured serving soldiers and coalition forces.
•Mentored student nurses, training Combat Medical Technicians and paramedics.
•Carried out NVQ Assessing for Healthcare assistant workers.
Achievements
•Stream lined the Liaison Officer role by introducing comprehensive guidelines and training for colleagues. This ensured a more constructive process was in place when dealing with clients with complex needs.
•Undertook audit activity on practitioner’s caseload management with positive outcomes. The evaluation resulted in a successful improvement in documentation standards alongside the implementation of local and national policy.
Date 2012 - 2013 Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing Level 1 & 2 2009 - 2010 Supporting Learning and Assessing (SLAiP) 2006 - 2007 Bsc (Hons) Degree in Mental Health Nursing 2005 - 2006 Counselling Skills Course 2004 - 2005 K272 Challenging Ideas in Mental Health 2003 - 2004 Level 3 A1 Assessors Certificate 1999 - 2002 Diploma in General Nursing Studies 1996 - 1998 BTEC National Diploma in Public Services