Position overview

Canberra Health Services (CHS) is focussed on the delivery of high quality, effective, person-centred care. We provide acute, sub-acute, primary and community‐based health services, to the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) and surrounding regions. More information can be found on the CHS website.

Canberra Hospital’s Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a tertiary level, mixed adult ICU that admits over 2500 patients a year. Our ICU is accredited by the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM) for two years of core training and for the sub-specialities of Trauma, Cardiothoracic, and Neurosurgery.

We have a team of supportive Intensive Care specialists with a diverse range of skills and experience that provide both clinical and non-clinical support to our trainees.

We have a team of supportive Intensive Care specialists with a diverse range of skills and experience that provide both clinical and non-clinical support to our trainees.

Our ICU has accreditation by the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM) for two years of general training including neuro-, cardio- and trauma ICU. We have a strong educational focus as well as a well-established research program providing opportunities to participate in multi-centre national and international trials as well as home grown research.

The post graduate fellow position at Canberra Hospital ICU will support candidates to fulfil all the clinical and non-clinical requirements focusing on the field of clinical research in intensive care. The post-graduate year fellow will be part of the specialist clinical roster and will have support and supervision from a dedicated intensivist to mature in that role. The role will have protected research component (0.4 to 05 FTE), and fellows will be expected to report to the lead of ICU research portfolio while the clinical component of the reporting will be to the ICU leadership team.

The role will allow the candidate to develop higher skills in the field of research. The fellow will be expected to contribute to activities such as leading and coordinating the education program for junior medical staff (including journal club and echocardiography teaching), assisting with trainee CICM examination preparation, facilitating local delivery of courses such as BASIC, beyond BASIC, Canberra ICU Course, Canberra Airway Course, Introduction to Procedures in Acute Care (IPAC) and Canberra Critical Care Echo Course.

The research fellow will have dedicated 40-50% protected roster time to fulfil the responsibilities in the field of ICU research. Fellows will be expected to initiate or continue their own local research projects within the intensive care or in related fields/departments. The fellow will be supported in this by the ICU research and data team and collaboration through CHS, ANU and Canberra University.

Key responsibilities

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

• Provide competent and efficient clinical management of patients of Canberra Health Services under the supervision and direction of Specialist Medical Practitioners, including acute admissions, in-patient care and procedures relevant to the practice of Intensive Care, attendance and participation in the ICU Medical Emergency Team and ICU referral service, inter-disciplinary consults, and clinical handover.
• Participate in the supervision, training and professional development of ICU junior medical staff and undergraduate medical students.
• Work within and support the multidisciplinary clinical team.
• Participate in the after-hours roster which includes on-call responsibilities.
• Maintain adequate and legible medical records and ensure that the clinical team completes discharge summaries in a timely manner.
• During protected roster time, fulfil responsibilities in the field of ICU research in the initiation or continuance of your own local research projects in intensive care or related fields/departments, in compliance with ACT legislation and CHS policies with respect to research and research ethics, with the support of the ICU research and data team and in collaboration with Australian National University (ANU) and Canberra University.
• Initiate new critical care research projects and support the ICU research and data team in management of current research studies, including screening, recruitment, consent and management.
• Supervise and support local junior CICM trainees, junior medical officers and ANU medical students in a supervisory capacity with ICU research projects, in consultation with their nominated ANU Research ICU supervisor, and provide ongoing ICU JMO education on research methodologies.
• Present research achievements and projects locally, nationally and internationally.
• Comply with the policies and requirements of the Medical Board of Australia and the policies of Canberra Health Services. This includes the promotion and application of workplace relations, workplace equity and diversity and workplace safety, and completion of mandatory training.
• Undertake other duties appropriate to this level of classification which contribute to the operation of the organisation.

About you

CHS is committed to workforce diversity and to creating an inclusive workplace. As part of this commitment, we welcome applications from all diversity groups. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, people with disability and people who identify as LGBTQIA+ are particularly encouraged to apply.

Competencies

• The ability to efficiently manage and prioritise their own workload.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to appropriately manage difficult conversations with patients and family members.
• The ability to exercise appropriate judgement under high level pressure.
• High level interest in the teaching of junior medical staff.

Qualifications

Essential

• MBBS or equivalent
• Registered or eligible for registration with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).
• Have currency in an Advanced Life Support Course.
• Have competency in the invasive procedures relevant to the practice of Intensive Care Medicine.
• Been admitted as a fellow to the College of Intensive Care Medicine (CICM) after completion of CICM part 2 exam, college project, required clinical time and all the prescribed courses, learning packages and workplace-based assessment.
• Recency with Certificate of Good Clinical Practice certification.
• Successfully and independently completed research project/s
• Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and provide leadership where required.
• Experience or knowledge of the CHS Exceptional Care Framework and all other related frameworks

Desirable

• Demonstrated commitment to the maintenance and further development of skills applicable to the area of Intensive Care, including involvement in research and quality assurance activities.
• Demonstrated 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.
• Previous published research
• Understanding of research, data management and storage
• Experience with ethics processes and grant applications with research projects
• Demonstrating ability to collaborate, lead and supervise projects.
• Currency in an Advanced Life Support Course.
• Competency in the invasive procedures relevant to the practice of Intensive Care Medicine.
• Have an understanding of how the National Safety and Quality Health Service (NSQHS) indicators align with this role.

Please note prior to commencement, successful candidates will be required to:

• Undergo a pre-employment National Police Check.
• Comply with Canberra Health Services Occupational Assessment, Screening and Vaccination policy.

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.
• Be available for weekend and/or after-hours work.

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, experience and referee reports.

1. Demonstrated commitment to the maintenance and further development of skills applicable to the area of Intensive Care, including involvement in further education and quality assurance activities.
2. Current fellow with the College of Intensive Care Medicine or in process of receiving the admission to fellowship after having successfully completed CICM part 2 exam and all the requirements to become a fellow with college of intensive care medicine.
3. Well-developed communication and interpersonal skills and the ability to work as part of a multidisciplinary team and provide leadership where required.
4. A commitment to the importance and provision of teaching at all levels, including medical, nursing, scientific and allied health professional staff, both postgraduate and undergraduate; and
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.