Position overview

Advance Care Planning promotes care that is consistent with a person’s goals, values, beliefs and preferences. It prepares the person and others to plan for future health care, for a time when the person may no longer be able to communicate those decisions themselves.

Effective planning is the best way to ensure that family and health professionals respect a person’s wishes. In an emergency situation it provides hospital treating teams with the necessary information to make decisions in the patient’s best interest in consultation with their chosen attorneys.

The Advance Care Planning Team is responsible for the implementation of a proactive approach to advance care planning across the ACT. This includes assistance with having the conversation, documenting wishes, training and education and quality improvement activities with key stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

1. Assist the community to have the conversation and/or complete Advance Care Planning (ACP) documentation.
2. Provide operational and program advice to the ACP Manager, regarding matters related to advance care planning across the ACT.
3. Provide training and ongoing support for staff, organisations and the community. Including formal and informal sessions.
4. Assist with the evaluation of advance care planning across the ACT in collaboration with relevant key stakeholders.
5. Prepare information, regular communication and input to reports for the manager relating to the ACP Program.
6. Support quality improvement activity, continuing professional development in the area of ACP.
7. Liaise with key stakeholders both internal and external to ensure successful delivery of key activities.
8. Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

Competencies

Specific responsibilities include but are not limited to the following.

Communication Skills

• Ability to initiate and guide sensitive conversations about end-of-life care and support people to clearly document their choices.
• Active listening and empathy to understand patient values and preferences.
• The ability to communicate clearly and effectively in many mediums.

Knowledge of ACP Processes

• Understanding of ACT Advance Care Planning and legal requirements.
• Familiarity with ACP documentation and state-specific regulations.

Cultural Competence

• Respect for patient autonomy and cultural diversity in decision-making.

Team Collaboration

• The ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Working effectively with key stakeholders including community agencies, physicians, nurses, social workers, caregivers.

Patient Education

• Helping patients understand ACT ACP documents and support completion of chosen documents.

Documentation and Record-Keeping

• Accurate recording of ACP discussions in the medical record.

Process and Workflow Management

• Strong organisational skills with a high degree of drive.
• Adaptability and flexibility to accommodate change and provide responsive services to meet consumer needs.
• Ability to audit and implement quality improvement.
• Following standardized workflows for ACP implementation.

Qualifications

Essential

• For Nurses:
  • Relevant Tertiary Nursing Qualification.
  • Eligible for registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Board through the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
  • Current driver’s license.
• For Health Professionals:
  • Relevant undergraduate or graduate entry tertiary qualifications.
  • Professional membership or eligibility for professional membership of the Australian Association of Social Workers (AASW) or Be registered or be eligible for general registration under the professions Board (such as Physiotherapists, Occupational Therapists) through Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
  • Current driver’s license.
• For Administration Officers:
  • Appropriate Tertiary Qualification including but not limited to education, arts, sociology, communication.
  • Current driver’s license.

Desirable

• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Experience

Essential

• For Nurses: Four years’ working professionally in a nursing role.
• For Health Professionals: Three years’ working professionally in health services in an allied health role.
• For Administration Officers: Experience working professionally in an administrative service officer or other relevant role.

Desirable

• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework, and all other related frameworks.

Prior to commencement

Appointment to this position is conditional on being granted and retaining appropriate clearances:

• Pre-employment National Police Check.
• Current registration issued under the Working with Vulnerable People (Background Checking) Act2011is required. (for Health Professionals and Administration Officers)
• Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.
• Comply with CHS credentialing and scope of clinical practice requirements for allied health professionals. (for Health Professionals only)

Important information

All employees are required to:

• Adhere to the Canberra Health Services Values and the ACT Public Service Code of Conduct.
• Act in accordance and comply with all relevant Safety and Quality policies and procedures.
• Comply with all relevant clinical and/or competency standards.

CHS is leading the drive to digitally transform health service delivery in Australia through the implementation of a territory wide Digital Health Record. Computer literacy skills are required which are relevant to this role as you will be responsible for completing required documentation and becoming a proficient user of the Digital Health Record and/or other Information Technology systems; once proficient, you will need to remain current with changes, updates, and contingencies.

What you Require (Key Selection Criteria)

These are the key selection criteria for how you will be assessed in conjunction with your resumé and experience and must be addressed in your application:

1. Proven high-level knowledge of Advance Care Planning.
2. Proven high level verbal and written communication skills including individual and group presentation skills, report writing.
3. Proven ability to work effectively within a team and independently on complex tasks within set timeframes including undertaking quality safety innovation and improvements projects.
4. Proven strong problem solving and consultation skills, with the ability to influence others.
5. Demonstrates understanding of, and adherence to, safety and quality standards, work, health and safety (WH&S) and the positive patient experience. Displays behaviour consistent with CHS’s values of reliable, progressive, respectful and kind.

Work environment description

The following work environment description outlines the inherent requirements of the role and indicates how frequently each of these requirements would need to be performed. Please note that the ACT Public Service is committed to providing reasonable adjustments and ensuring all individuals have equal opportunities in the workplace.