Staff Nurse - Stroke Unit
Outstanding Care, Outstanding Careers
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Job overview
We’re growing — and we’d love you to grow with us.
Our Stroke Service is expanding to support patients across Dorset and Somerset, including the launch of our brand‑new Hyper‑Acute Stroke Unit (HASU).
We are recruiting Band 5 Registered Nurses who want to make a real difference at one of the most critical moments in a person’s life.
This is an exciting opportunity to join a forward‑thinking team delivering high‑quality, time‑critical stroke care across the full pathway — hyper‑acute, acute, and early rehabilitation.
As a Band 5 Nurse, you will play a key role in delivering safe, compassionate, evidence‑based care to patients with complex neurological needs. You will work closely with our Stroke Consultants, Specialist Nurses, Therapists, and wider MDT to support patients through some of the most challenging moments of their lives.
UKVI Sponsorship: This role is eligible for sponsorship under the Skilled Worker route, as defined by UK Visas and Immigration (UKVI). We welcome applications from individuals who require sponsorship to work in the UK. Sponsorship will be offered subject to meeting UKVI eligibility criteria.
Advert
What we’re looking for
We welcome applications from nurses who are:
- Passionate about stroke care
- Confident in fast‑paced clinical environments
- Keen to develop skills in NIHSS, thrombolysis/thrombectomy pathways, dysphagia management, and neurological assessment
- Motivated to work in a service that is growing, innovating, and improving outcomes for patients across two counties
What you’ll be doing
- Delivering high‑quality nursing care to patients with acute and hyper‑acute stroke presentations
- Completing neurological observations, NIHSS scoring, and escalation
- Supporting post‑thrombolysis monitoring and early mobilisation
- Working closely with the MDT to deliver personalised rehabilitation plans
- Communicating sensitively with patients and families during complex and emotional situations
- Contributing to service development as we launch our HASU
What we offer
- Full stroke‑specific induction
- NIHSS training and competency sign‑off
- Opportunities to rotate into the Hyper‑Acute Stroke Unit
- Access to stroke specialist education and CPD
- Supportive leadership and a strong MDT culture
- Clear development pathways into Band 6 Stroke Specialist role
Working for our organisation
At DCHFT, we pride ourselves on the care we provide for our patients, and on the culture, we are creating for our staff. We work hard to create a fair, inclusive environment for our staff.
Our Mission is to work in partnership to provide high quality, compassionate services and to nurture an environment where people can be at their best. Our vision is healthier lives, empowered citizens, thriving communities.
We are a Trust that celebrates diversity, and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We welcome applications from people in all under-represented groups.
We understand that AI can be a useful tool when completing your application. However, we are seeing an increasing over-reliance of AI tools, which can negatively affect your application as it reduces a candidate’s individuality, and makes it difficult for us to gain a clear and authentic understanding of your experience, skills, and in turn your suitability for the role.
All submissions must be truthful and if you do use AI, it should only be used to enhance your application and not create your supporting statement in its entirety. Your supporting statement should be in your own words and must accurately reflect your personal experience and achievements. Where we have concerns that AI has been used to generate content that misrepresents your experience and suitability for the role, we may withdraw your application.
Detailed job description and main responsibilities
Our DCHFT Job Description and Person Specification (attached) tells you all about this role, what to expect and what is needed to succeed. When completing your application please make sure to tell us how your experience and skills fit the person specification.
Please contact us at [email protected] if you are unable to view or download the attachment.
For all our roles, we are looking for staff who hold our Trust Values of Integrity, Respect Teamwork and Excellence, and who are passionate about providing the best patient care. To read more about our Trust and our Values search Dorset County Hospital online.
Our Mission
Outstanding care for people in ways which matter to them.
Our Vision
Dorset County Hospital, working with our health and social care partners, will be at the heart of improving the well-being of our communities.
Our Values
Integrity, Respect, Teamwork, Excellence
We are a Trust that celebrates diversity and we are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We would welcome applications from people in all under-represented groups.
For more information, please use the link below to read our joint strategy for Dorset County Hospital and Dorset Healthcare.
Trust Strategy | Dorset County Hospital (dchft.nhs.uk)
PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING IMPORTANT INFORMATION CAREFULLY BEFORE YOU SUBMIT YOUR APPLICATION
Please read the job description and person specification carefully to ensure your application reflects the knowledge, skills and experience required.
The closing date/interview date is subject to amendment; this vacancy may therefore expire at short notice, so we recommend that you submit an application at your earliest convenience. We reserve the right to close any vacancies without notice.
Shortlisted applicants will be contacted via email; therefore it is important that you check your personal email account regularly.
Unfortunately we are unable to respond to every application; if we do not contact you within 4 weeks of the closing date, please be advised that you not have been shortlisted on this occasion.