Band 7 Cardio Thoracic Intensive Care Unit (CTICU)

Overview

In this Band 7 CTICU role, you lead expert nursing care for critically ill cardiothoracic patients, including post-cardiac surgery and those supported by mechanical circulatory devices. You will interpret invasive and minimally invasive monitoring data and respond to complex physiologic changes, while safely managing circulatory support and pharmacology. You’ll guide the team, drive education and professional development, and contribute to audit and research within Critical Care. This is a hands-on leadership role in a major teaching hospital, focused on high-quality, evidence-based care and patient safety.

Pay / Benefits

• flexible working arrangements

Responsibilities

• Act as shift leader and team leader for nursing staff
• Provide specialist cardiothoracic nursing care to critically ill patients
• Support education, training and professional development through the IPR process
• Lead or participate in audit and research within Critical Care
• Serve as specialist information resource for internal and external staff
• Deputise for the Matron when required
• Specialist assessment and management of post-cardiac surgery and mechanical circulatory support patients
• Interpret invasive and non-invasive monitoring and act on complex data
• Titrate vasoactive infusions and inotropes, manage anticoagulants and antiarrhythmics
• Manage drains, pacing wires, wounds and fluid optimisation post-surgery
• Respond decisively to emergencies such as cardiac arrest, tamponade, arrhythmias, graft occlusion and haemodynamic collapse
• Demonstrate advanced cardiothoracic pharmacology knowledge

Key requirements

• Competent Cardiothoracic nurse with significant experience
• Current UK professional registration
• Shift leader experience (Desirable)
• Evidence of teaching and mentoring (Desirable)
• Authoritative resource for evidence-based care of the critically ill (Desirable)

• Leadership
• Mentoring/teaching
• Decision-making under pressure
• Interpretation of arterial lines, CVP, PACs, cardiac output systems
• Management of MCS devices (IABP, Impella) and vasoactive infusions
• Post-operative cardiothoracic care including drains and pacing wires

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