Clare Sims
Bath,Wiltshire
Summary
I am an experienced Senior Nurse which encompasses Theatre & Recovery Manager, Theatre Team Lead Nurse, Clinical Lead and Surgical First Assistant and CQC specialist Advisor with over 20 years experience within the surgical setting working alongside highly accredited Consultants & teams both in Emergency and Elective settings.
I would describe myself as dedicated, empathetic, passionate, determined & competitive and I enjoy a challenge & working outside of my comfort zone.
I enjoy constant growth and development, utilizing my knowledge and experience and working along like minded individuals to promote, achieve and maintain a high standard of safe care.
I am looking to build on what I have achieved so far for the next chapter of my career the next exciting opportunity
Overview
19
19
years of professional experience
Work History
Surgical First Assistant
St Joseph's Hospital
Newport , Gwent
03.2025 - Current
- I work alongside the Surgeons to assist them in all aspects of surgery from preparing the patient to closing the wounds, in the absence of a registrar
- I am involved in preparing the patient for surgery including site marking, ensuring all aspects of the care olan are completed prior to surgery
- I ensure the patient is positioned correctly and safely
- I work under direct supervision of my operating surgeon
- I thoroughly enjoy being able to utilise all my years of experience and training to be more involved in patient care
Specialist Advisor
CQC
12.2024 - Current
- Provide expert clinical and professional advice to CQC Inspection staff during inspections to ensure safe, high-quality care.
- Accompany inspectors to assess services.
- Offer objective, evidence based reccomendations to support professional expertise and experience with reglatory enforcement
- Identifying areas of good practice and improvements to drive better standards across the sector.
- Attend healthcare sites to gather evidence, speak to staff and make observations
- Maintained accurate documentation to meet programme requirements and contractual obligations.
Agency Theatre Nurse/SFA
Thornbury Nursing Services/Yourworld Nursing
Bristol, Somerset
04.2023 - 02.2025
- Scrub or assist for a wide variation of surgeries from Elective General Surgery, Transplants, Caesareans and Emergencies
- Work within a multi-disciplinary team
Clinical Services Lead Nurse
Practice Plus Group
Bristol & Devizes, Wiltshire
10.2022 - 03.2023
- Promote environment conductive to outstanding patient care by implementing and ensuring sessions are effectively and efficiently planned
- Responsible for Theatre Nurses, ODPs, HCAs and work alongside Consultant Surgeons and Aneasthetists
- Lead in the development and implementation of new and existing Hospital and Department policies
- Utilize and explore opportunities to maximise efficiency
- Responsible for developing business cases to improves service development
- Oversee integration of staff into department ensuring they have mentorship and induction, access to continuing professional development and mandatory training and keeping correct record of this
- Integrate Governance agenda and adhere to National standards and ensure compliance with departmental audits
- Undertake departmental reviews to ensure processes are up to date and staff are aware of expectations of them relating to the department
- Promoted safe working environment by implementing regulatory standards, policies and guidelines.
- Optimised team training and staff development.
- Maintained clean, safe working environments to eliminate accident risks.
- Met schedule using excellent planning and coordination skills.
- Demonstrated outstanding product knowledge to achieve high customer satisfaction levels.
- Built and maintained courteous and effective working relationships.
Bereavement leave/Sabbatical/A/L
Agency
07.2022 - 10.2022
Surgical First Assistant
Sulis Hospital Bath
Bath, Wiltshire
01.2022 - 07.2022
- Assisted physicians by preparing patients for procedures, including but not limited to EKGs, phlebotomy, glucose testing and pulmonary function tests.
- Checked patients in, collected and verified insurance information, compiled new patient forms, scheduled appointments and updated patient files.
- Assisted with technical treatments and entered information in patient records and charts.
- Maintained clean, safe working environments to eliminate accident risks.
- Assisting the Consultants within Surgery in the absence of Surgical Registrar
- Provide continuous competent and dedicated assistance to the Surgeon under direct supervision of the operating surgeon throughout the procedure whilst not performing any form of surgical intervention
Theatre & Recovery Manager
Circle/Sulis Hospital Bath
Bath, Wiltshire, England
05.2018 - 07.2022
- Maintained high patient care standards through diligent theatre assistance and enforcement of best practices.
- Collaborated with multidisciplinary healthcare teams to develop and adapt individualised plans of care to achieve patient recovery goals.
- Liaised with multi-disciplinary teams, fostering clear communication to address outstanding issues prior to surgery.
- Assessed care provided and suggested actionable improvements to improve preoperative and postoperative provisions.
- Supplied surgeons with required instrumentation, needles and swabs, supporting seamless surgical care.
- Guaranteed care continuity through multi-disciplinary team communication.
Theatre Team Lead
Royal United Hospital
Bath, Wiltshire
01.2018 - 05.2018
- Responsible for leading the team within the general surgery speciality
- Running the daily theatre lists
- Co-ordinating the department
- Organising kit, equipment and consumables for the theatre lists
- Mentoring juniors and students
- Scrubbing in for various general surgeries including all major cases and emergency cases
Sister Emergency and Cardiac Theatres
Southampton General Hospital
Southampton, Hampshire
01.2016 - 01.2018
- Co-ordinating the emergency theatre cases including communicating and working with senior consultants to prioritise the list
- Co-ordinating the theatre department of 32 theatres on a rota basis with other seniors, including being in charge on night duty and weekends, out of hours
- Scrubbing in for a variety of procedures including major laparotomies, upper GI, Hpb, cardiac, vascular emergency aaa, colorectal, gynea, paediatric, urology, thorassics, evars, carotid arteries
- supporting the team
- Undertaking audits, attending meetings and presenting to seniors as well as hosting team meetings with own team
Deputy Clinical Lead Theatre
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Bournemouth, Dorset
03.2012 - 01.2016
- Scrubbing for all general and vascular surgeries including upper GI oesophagogastrostomies, lap chole, bariatrics.
- Colorectal including anterior resections both open and laparoscopic, hemicolectomies,
- Plastics, abdominoplasty, breast surgery, endocrine including thyroidectomies,
- Vascular including elective and emergency aortic aneurism, EVARS, carotid artery repairs
- Scrubbing for all major surgeries both elective and emergency
- Running the theatre lists
- Supporting and leading the team
- Preparing theatre including equipment and consumables
- Mentoring juniors and students
- Scrubbing for all laparoscopic cases
Theatre Nurse
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Bournemouth, Dorset
10.2007 - 03.2012
Education
Surgical First Assisstant -
Learning In Practice
Greenwich University2021
Having Difficult Conversations -
ACAS
London2020
BsC Hons - Management
Concepts of Management
Southampton University2019
Conducting Investigations -
ACAS
London2019
Leadership and Management - Leadership
Southampton General Hospital
Southampton 2017
Leadership and Management -
Southampton General Hospital
2017
Mentorship - Mentorship
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Bournemouth2012
Infection Control Link member - IPC
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Bournemouth2012
BsC Hons Clinical Practice - Clinical Practice
Bournemouth University
Bournemouth2008
Advanced Diploma - Nursing
Bournemouth University
Bournemouth 2007
Skills
- ILS Trained
- Surgical First Assistant
- Perioperative care
- Emergency Surgery & Elective Surgery
- Managing Theatre & Recovery Department through Covid
- Policy, procedure & Standards writing
- Best Practice/National Initiatives
- Clinical Governance
- Compassionate Leadership
- Financial Management
- Change Management
- Project Management
- Performance Management
- Recruitment & Retention
- IT Literate
- Service Improvement
- Workforce Management
- Insights Leadership Course
- RCA/Patient Safety Investigation Training
- People Management
- Coaching
- Rota Management
Additional Information
- CQC specialist Advisor
- Providing expert clinical professional advice to Inspectors during Inspections & Investigations of Health and Social Care settings in England
- Supporting Inspectors to to assess whether organisations are safe, effective and caring
- Gathering evidence by interviewing staff, stakeholders & analyzing data
- Identifying where
Timeline
Surgical First Assistant
St Joseph's Hospital
03.2025 - Current
Specialist Advisor
CQC
12.2024 - Current
Agency Theatre Nurse/SFA
Thornbury Nursing Services/Yourworld Nursing
04.2023 - 02.2025
Clinical Services Lead Nurse
Practice Plus Group
10.2022 - 03.2023
Bereavement leave/Sabbatical/A/L
Agency
07.2022 - 10.2022
Surgical First Assistant
Sulis Hospital Bath
01.2022 - 07.2022
Theatre & Recovery Manager
Circle/Sulis Hospital Bath
05.2018 - 07.2022
Theatre Team Lead
Royal United Hospital
01.2018 - 05.2018
Sister Emergency and Cardiac Theatres
Southampton General Hospital
01.2016 - 01.2018
Deputy Clinical Lead Theatre
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
03.2012 - 01.2016
Theatre Nurse
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
10.2007 - 03.2012
Surgical First Assisstant -
Learning In Practice
Having Difficult Conversations -
ACAS
BsC Hons - Management
Concepts of Management
Conducting Investigations -
ACAS
Leadership and Management - Leadership
Southampton General Hospital
Leadership and Management -
Southampton General Hospital
Mentorship - Mentorship
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
Infection Control Link member - IPC
Royal Bournemouth Hospital
BsC Hons Clinical Practice - Clinical Practice
Bournemouth University
Advanced Diploma - Nursing
Bournemouth University