James Macdonald

HIV Specialist Nurse

As a senior band 6 member of the team, I am trusted to lead the team where appropriate, making clinical and managerial decisions when there is no appropriate band 7. I have been with the team for nearly four years and have gained knowledge around communication skills, pharmacology, closely associated illness' with HIV and infectious diseases across the departments. I am lucky enough to be currently undertaking my independent nursing prescribing course which is due to be completed at the end of March.

• Work in outpatient settings both as part of consultant led clinics and nurse led clinics.
• Working with outreach clinics such as prisons.
• Supporting patients to adhere to medication and attend regular appointments.
• Re-engagement work such as finding patients who may not be attending appointments anymore.
• Regular MDT's to assess and review medications for patients.
• Providing new diagnosis'
• Support other areas of care with diagnosis'
• Teaching to patients, partners & family
• Teaching to other services
• Audits on work done within the department
• Quality improvement on services offered
• Research projects
• Implemented new services to benefit patients.
• Work with drug and alcohol services to support patients
• Social services support

I worked as a band 5 staff nurse in the critical care unit at Salford Royal. I gained a great deal of clinical skills and knowledge while in this role and experienced a different way of working with one-to-one care of level 3 patients.

My duties included:

• One-to-one or two level 3 patients.
• Heavily monitored and any concerns to be raised.
• Management of extensive medication prescriptions.
• Knowledge of equipment in the critical care unit.
• Effective communication to the wider medical team.
• Reassuring and honest discussions with family members.
• The opportunity for further learning and study days.
• Maintaining unit checks - medications, CPR trollies.
• Good display of clinical skills.

Staff nurse - Gastro surgical

I started working on a gastro-surgical ward after completing my last student nurse placement on the ward, and was very kindly asked if I would like to start my career there. I developed some of my early skills while working on this ward.

• Time management.
• Medicine management.
• Clinical skills - such as wound care.
• Delegating tasks.
• Good communication skills for patients and family members.
• Advocating for my patients.
• Engaging in MDT's and advocating for my patients.
• Mentoring student nurses on the ward.