Are you interested in pursuing a career at the Freeman Hospital’s Children’s Heart Unit, internationally renowned for its many national and international firsts?
If the answer is yes then you’ll be delighted to hear we are currently offering attractive prospects for nurses who would relish the opportunity to provide world-class care for the hundreds of babies, children and young people we see every year.
Join our national centre for excellence
As a national centre of excellence for paediatric cardiac care, patients come to us not only from the North East, but from all over the UK, Northern Ireland and further afield.
We specialise in heart and lung transplantation, as well as the bridge to transplant/recovery programme using the Berlin heart to support our young patients – one of only two units in the UK capable of using this advanced technology as well as highly specialist EMCO.
Our experts treat pre and post-term babies, infants, children, teens and adults with heart disease (both congenital and acquired during childhood), pulmonary hypertension and heart and lung transplantation.
Are you methodical and meticulous?
Every patient will be at a different stage of development with complex treatment plans tailored specific to them – a meticulous approach is essential and we seek nurses who take pride in their methodical approach, carrying out all of their tasks with due diligence and great care.
Patients are often with us for many months or even years, and for those with conditions which require life-long care, we look after them until they are ready to transition to our adult teams. As such, our teams build a strong rapport with them and their families.
Many are seriously unwell. You will need excellent, open and honest communication skills with a sensitive, self-assured approach and the ability to build trust, considering all factors in their response to prognosis and treatment plans. This role requires considerable resilience and insight.
Join our amazing multi-disciplinary team
For a centre of such calibre to provide outstanding standards of care, takes a successful multi-disciplinary approach and you will benefit from working alongside a large, diverse team of hugely supportive, talented individuals including cardiologists, intensivists, surgeons, allied health professionals, play specialists and pharmacists.
Our nursing teams also include transplant specialist nurses and coordinators, VAD nurse specialists, a cardiac nutritional specialist nurse, and cardiac specialist nurses who act as a link between hospital and home. When an antenatal diagnosis is made they are linked in with the family from fetal medicine. So there is great scope for progression to more senior nursing roles.
Continuous Professional Development
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is an extremely important aspect of our offer, to ensure our staff can truly liberate their potential. The unit has a dedicated Clinical Educator who runs a high end preceptorship package, including in house training and speciality specific training. We also offer clinical supervision sessions one on one and there is a highly supportive senior nursing team always on hand.
Access to external training is also much encouraged, to support development of specialist skills and competencies for example, tracheostomy, ventricular assisted device (VAD), and high dependency care courses currently run at the city centre’s Northumbria University.
Taking care of you
Caring for children with serious illnesses or severe injuries can be emotionally demanding. You will undoubtedly encounter difficult situations and witness the impact on your patients and their families. However, the rewards reaped from helping young patients make a full recovery are second to none and even when delivering bad news, by encouraging families to navigate difficult times with optimism can have a really positive impact.
Our ethos revolves around our patients who remain at the heart of everything we do, in line with the trust’s Vision and Values, yet we are very mindful that nursing is extremely challenging, especially right now. We recognise the importance of supporting staff and their wellbeing, and endeavour to provide a safe and supportive environment to enable our teams to develop and grow, as well as learning how to tap into and build personal endurance and resilience.
Join us
If this sounds like a role you would relish and would like to find out more or arrange an informal visit, please get in touch with Matron Rachel Patterson or senior sister Lesley Hamilton on:
Telephone: 0191 2137023 or
Email: lesley.hamilton2nhs.net
About us
Each year over 300 children are admitted to the Children’s Heart Unit at the Freeman Hospital and over 1000 children return each year for outpatient appointments.
The Freeman Hospital is the centre for children’s cardiac services, providing supra-regional cardiac and thoracic surgical services for the UK and Ireland. This service has a world-renowned record in cardiac transplant, ECMO and assist devices.
Specialist care is provided to children undergoing complex, routine and emergency cardiothoracic surgery. Cardiac Services is a speciality with many opportunities to gain and develop new skills and experience.
As well as the Children’s Heart Unit, facilities at Freeman Hospital include a PICU and an 18 bedded ward incorporating a 6 bedded HDU.
