The Neurosciences Centre is one of the Newcastle Hospitals’ flagship centres of excellence – home to our pioneering neurosurgical, neurology, neurophysiology and neuroradiology services, as well as our internationally renowned mitochondrial diagnostic service and orthopaedic spinal surgery.
Our staff take great pride in contributing to the Centre’s reputation for providing expert assessment, diagnosis and treatment for patients with complex neurological disorders and injuries. A centre of such calibre wouldn’t be possible without our extraordinary multi-disciplinary teams and we are currently looking for nurses, who wish to pursue a career in the progressive field of neurological nursing, to join us.
Above and beyond
We approach our daily work with the ethos that patients remain at the heart of everything we do, in line with the trust’s Vision and Values and are seeking open-minded nurses with a natural aptitude for true empathy, who are willing to go above and beyond for their patients.
We deliver both planned and emergency care, and provide specialised enhanced care in our ward bays which means our nursing teams benefit from a vast and varied range of challenges and skills including enhanced post operative care, receiving regular, relevant training.
No two days are the same
No two days are the same on our neuro wards; fast-paced, they are often extremely unpredictable and can be demanding, both physically and emotionally. A patient’s clinical situation can change dramatically in seconds requiring a calm, composed yet decisive demeanour.
Many have experienced devastating injuries which can trigger agitated and challenging behaviours. Nurses who thrive on our wards are open and responsive to their patients’ needs, doing all they can to truly understand their individual situation. Having a keen interest in the complexity of the nervous system and how it, and any injuries, can affect physical and cognitive function and ability would be advantageous but not essential.
Acting as their advocates, neuro nurses require authentic communication and listening skills, and the ability to build trust quickly, considering all factors in their patient’s – and their families’ – response to prognosis and treatment plans. This can require considerable resilience and insight and you will work as part of a multi-disciplinary team, liaising with colleagues from many external partnerships, for example Walkergate Park Neuro Rehabilitation Centre and Neuro Psychiatry, requiring good coordination and organisation skills.
Multi-disciplinary team
For a centre to provide outstanding standards of care, takes a successful multi-disciplinary approach and you will work alongside a large team of talented individuals including medical teams, allied health professionals and pharmacists.
Our nursing teams also include many specialists for sub-specialties including Epilepsy, Multiple Sclerosis, Motor Neurone Disease and Parkinson’s Disease amongst many others, thus there is great scope for progression to more specialist and other senior nursing roles.
Continuous Professional Development (CPD) is also extremely important to ensure our staff can liberate their potential. You will be supported to develop your skills and competencies and we have a neuro clinical nurse educator who offers clinical skills and a neuro specific preceptorship package giving staff excellent structured preceptorship supported within supernumerary practice:
- Regular study and learning opportunities working with Clinical Educators in the clinical area.
- Opportunities for bespoke training sessions from medical colleagues and other professions allied to medicine to increase knowledge of the range of clinical care delivered within the Directorate.
- Individualised personal development plans supported by the Clinical Educator and line manager.
- Student mentorship as both hub and spoke learning environments.
- Friendly and supportive workplace (Clinical supervision in operation).
- Ongoing access to affiliated university courses and in house study days
The opportunity to rotate through our nurse-led services, the day unit, inpatient wards including enhanced care areas and shadowing our specialist teams offers unique benefits in this specialist area, and could be the first step towards a successful and hugely satisfying nursing career.
Get in touch
If this sounds like a role you would relish and would like more information or arrange an informal visit then please contact Matron Kerry Bell:
Email: kerry.bell7@nhs.net
Telephone: 0191 2821780
Our wards and services
Ward 15 – Neurosurgery
Ward 15 has 30 beds specialising in head injury and complex neurosurgical procedures including cranial and spinal surgery, brain tumours, cerebral spinal flow disorders, deep brain stimulation surgery and intracranial monitoring. We also care for patients with multiple traumas as part of the Trust’s major trauma unit and care for orthopaedic spinal injuries and surgery patients.
Ward 15 also incorporates ward 15A which is a 4-bedded enhanced recovery area for complex surgical patients to recover post-surgery. The ward also has a video telemetry room monitoring patients experiencing seizures or patients requiring complex sleep studies.
Ward 16 – Neurosurgery
Ward 16 has 31 beds specialising in head injury and complex Neurosurgical procedures including; cranial and spinal surgery, brain tumours, cerebral spinal flow disorders, deep brain stimulation surgery and intracranial monitoring. We also care for patients with multiple traumas as part of the Trust’s major trauma unit.
Ward 17 – Neurosciences
Ward 17 has 8 beds catering for day of surgery arrival patients, day case surgery and neuroradiology investigations and treatments as well as neurosurgical reviews. The ward also has a 6 chaired neurology infusion bay and cares for neurology patients undergoing treatments and assessments.
Neurosciences Short Stay Unit (NSSU)
This is a nurse-led unit open Monday to Friday consisting of 10 single rooms catering for neurosurgical patients undergoing elective surgery. The unit also caters for neurology patients undergoing treatments, as well as diagnostic procedures such as lumbar punctures.
Ward 43 – Neurology
Ward 43 has 21 beds caring for patients with a wide range of neurological conditions including Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, epilepsy, Mitochondrial Disease, Motor Neurone Disease, and encephalitis. The ward has a dedicated video telemetry room monitoring patients experiencing seizures.
Neuroradiology
We have a nursing team based in the neuroradiology department caring for patients undergoing complex interventional procedures such as embolization, aneurysm coiling, thrombectomies and recovery following general anaesthetic.
Translational Research
Neurosciences also manages the CRESTA clinics (Clinics for Research and Service in Themed Assessments) a flagship development of the Trust working in partnership with Newcastle University. The strong research base in Newcastle means that our patients receive state-of-the-art therapies and provides a foundation for the next generation of exciting developments and clinically relevant ideas and fantastic training opportunities for our staff.
We are one of the top regional neurosciences centres in the UK providing a comprehensive range of specialist care in neurosurgery, neurology and neuroradiology including radiology interventional services and neurophysiology.
We care for all types of neurological conditions involving the brain and nervous system and are based in state-of-the-art facilities located within the RVI.
There are long-standing strong collaborations between neurosciences and Newcastle University enabling research in a variety of areas including the mitochondrial disease service which is one of only three centres in the country.
The Directorate also manages the CRESTA clinics (Clinics for Research and Service in Themed Assessments) a flagship development of the Trust working in partnership with Newcastle University.
The strong research base in Newcastle means that patients attending the Neurosciences department receive state-of-the-art therapies and for our staff this provides a foundation for the next generation of exciting developments and clinically relevant ideas and fantastic training opportunities.
Shift Patterns
We operate a varying shift pattern that includes a combination of long and short shifts. All staff on the inpatient wards undertake internal rotation.
Staff Groups
We have the following staff working within the departments, Matron, Sister / Charge Nurse, Nurse Practitioners, Nurse Specialists, Clinical Educator, Staff Nurses, Nursing Associates, Assistant practitioners, Healthcare Assistants, Ward Clerks and Housekeepers.
Staff Training
We provide a preceptorship package that gives staff excellent structured preceptorship supported within supernumerary practice.
- Regular study and learning opportunities working with Clinical Educators in the clinical area.
- Opportunities for bespoke training sessions from medical colleagues and other professions allied to medicine to increase knowledge of the range of clinical care delivered within the Directorate.
- Individualised personal development plans supported by the Clinical Educator and line manager.
- Student mentorship as both hub and spoke learning environments.
- Friendly and supportive workplace (Clinical supervision in operation).
- Ongoing access to affiliated university courses and in house study days
