An exciting opportunity has arisen for nurses seeking career development to join the Discharge Lounge at University Hospital Plymouth as a Band 5 Discharge Lounge Nurse. This nurse-led unit supports the safe, timely and efficient discharge of patients from inpatient adult wards, the Emergency Department and assessment areas. It provides a calm environment for patients who are medically fit for discharge but awaiting medications, transport or collection.
The Discharge Lounge plays an important role in improving patient flow and enabling earlier bed availability. The post holder will work closely with the Discharge Lounge Manager and multidisciplinary team to ensure patient safety and maintain high standards of care. You will act as a positive role model, delivering hands‑on clinical care while supporting and supervising colleagues.
The role requires a proactive and flexible approach, with a commitment to service improvement and the ability to work a range of shifts including early, late and weekends. Staff are dedicated to high‑quality care and ongoing improvements to enhance patient safety and experience, offering opportunities to develop skills in a supportive, fast‑paced environment.
Preference will be given to internal Trust staff, as well as ‘Priority’ and ‘At Risk’ status including NHS At Risk staff throughout Devon who are able to display recent relevant experience as dictated by the Person Specification.
Main duties of the job
- Lead and manage the discharge lounge service to ensure it is smooth, well utilised and an effective resource within the trust providing quality nursing care to patients waiting for discharge from hospital.
- Improving utilisation of the discharge lounge thus ensuring timely available beds in the trust from wards to improve and ensure good patient flow across the hospital.
About us
We are a people business – where every member of staff matters and can make a difference. Patients are at the heart of everything we do. Joining University Hospitals Plymouth NHS Trust means becoming part of a team of dedicated staff, who are committed to leading the way through innovation, clinical excellence and great customer care. The Trust has great opportunities for career development in a highly progressive working environment.
Job responsibilities
- Maintain high standard of patients care throughout the patients journey.
- To co‑ordinate and facilitate patient transfers from all adult wards and ED to the discharge lounge and educate staff of appropriate patients.
- Provide and maintain all nursing care as needed for patients within the discharge lounge.
- Develop and maintain a positive customer service focused environment to ensure excellent patient experience during the discharge process.
- Support the Trust’s goal to reduce length of stay and discharge initiatives and our 4 hour ED standard.
- Develop and maintain effective working relationships and communication with the pharmacy department to ensure that patients waiting for their medications are not delayed unnecessarily.
- Develop and maintain strong working relationships and communication with the discharge team, clinical site managers and transport team.
- To ensure smooth, safe and effective patient transition from hospital to patients discharge arrangements, appropriate transport is booked and follow up arrangements are made.
For further information please see attached job description.
Person Specification
registration
- nmc pin
- Demonstrable experience of acute hospital setting
Experience
- Registered Nurse Training completed
Disclosure and Barring Service Check
This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.
£32,073 to £39,043 a year Per Annum Pro Rata
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