Registered Nurse – High Dependency Unit (HDU) & Surgical Wards

Registered Nurse – High Dependency Unit (HDU) & Surgical Wards

KIMS Hospital | Maidstone

Contract: Permanent
Hours: 37.5 hours per week
Shifts: Days and nights, including 07:00–20:30 and 19:30–08:15
Salary: £35,000–£39,000 per annum

Are you an experienced Registered Nurse with the clinical confidence to care for patients requiring high-dependency support?

KIMS Hospital is seeking an experienced and clinically confident Registered Nurse to join our High Dependency Unit (HDU) and Surgical Wards team.

This is a role for a nurse who brings established acute hospital experience, sound clinical judgement and the ability to recognise and respond to patient deterioration. You will be confident caring for patients requiring enhanced monitoring and specialist interventions, while also delivering high-quality perioperative and postoperative care across our surgical wards.

Working alongside our multidisciplinary team, including consultants and anaesthetists, you will play an important role in delivering safe, effective and compassionate care to our patients.

This role would suit a nurse with previous experience in acute or high-dependency nursing. 

About the role

You will work across both our HDU and surgical inpatient wards, providing flexible, high-quality nursing care in response to clinical and service needs.

Within HDU, you will care for patients requiring enhanced monitoring and interventions, including non-invasive ventilation (NIV), arterial line monitoring, central venous access management and vasoactive medication infusions. You will be expected to interpret clinical observations and monitoring data, recognise deterioration and initiate appropriate escalation promptly.

When HDU activity is reduced, you will work within our surgical wards, delivering comprehensive perioperative and postoperative care, including pain management, wound and drain care, intravenous therapy, mobilisation and discharge planning.

The role requires a nurse who is comfortable working in a high-acuity environment, can prioritise competing clinical demands and demonstrates a proactive approach to patient safety.

Key responsibilities

• Deliver specialist HDU nursing care: Provide safe, effective care to patients requiring enhanced monitoring and clinical interventions, working within your assessed competencies and the hospital's clinical protocols.
• Recognise and manage deterioration: Interpret observations and monitoring data, identify changes in patient condition and escalate concerns without delay.
• Manage complex clinical interventions: Demonstrate competence in NIV, arterial line monitoring, central line care and the administration and monitoring of vasoactive or titrated infusions, as appropriate to the role.
• Deliver excellent surgical nursing: Provide comprehensive perioperative and postoperative care, including pain management, wound and drain care, intravenous therapy, mobilisation and discharge preparation.
• Maintain high standards of clinical practice: Undertake thorough assessments, develop and evaluate individualised care plans, maintain accurate documentation and adhere to clinical governance requirements.
• Work effectively within the multidisciplinary team: Communicate clearly with colleagues, consultants, patients and relatives, contributing to positive patient outcomes and a culture of safety and continuous improvement.

Who we are looking for

We are seeking a Registered Nurse who combines strong clinical knowledge with demonstrable acute-care experience, sound decision-making and the confidence to care for patients with complex clinical needs.

Essential criteria

• Registered Nurse (Adult) with current registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
• Substantial post-registration experience within an acute hospital setting, with a strong understanding of acute patient assessment, postoperative care and the recognition and management of clinical deterioration.
• Previous experience caring for patients requiring high-dependency or equivalent enhanced clinical monitoring and support.
• Demonstrable clinical competence in relevant HDU interventions, including NIV, arterial line monitoring and central venous access management.
• CC3N Step 2 or above competencies, or a recognised Intensive Care Course, as appropriate to the level of the role.
• The ability to assess patients, interpret clinical information, prioritise care and escalate concerns appropriately.
• Strong communication, organisational and multidisciplinary team-working skills.
• A flexible approach to working across HDU and surgical wards, maintaining high standards of care in both environments.

Desirable criteria

• Experience within HDU, ICU or another high-acuity clinical environment.
• Experience managing vasoactive medication infusions and patients requiring complex monitoring.
• Additional relevant competencies, including cannulation, venepuncture and Advanced Life Support (ALS).
• Further study or qualifications in critical care, acute care or surgical nursing.

We are particularly interested in nurses who can demonstrate their clinical experience and competencies through specific examples from their practice.

Why join KIMS Hospital?

At KIMS Hospital, our people are central to delivering exceptional patient care. We want our colleagues to feel valued, supported and able to make a meaningful contribution.

As part of our team, you will benefit from:

• A competitive salary of £35,000–£39,000 per annum.
• 33 days' annual leave, plus additional time off for your birthday.
• Free secure staff parking.
• Pension scheme.
• Private health insurance.
• Life assurance.
• Up to 40% off selected KIMS services.
• Employee Assistance Platform to support your wellbeing.
• Opportunities for ongoing professional development.

You will join a team committed to maintaining high clinical standards, supporting colleagues and delivering excellent patient outcomes.

Ready to join our team?

If you are an experienced Registered Nurse with the clinical skills, judgement and confidence to care for patients requiring high-dependency support, we would welcome your application.

Apply online today to join KIMS Hospital's HDU and Surgical Wards team.

For an informal discussion about the role, please contact Diane at recruitment@kims.org.uk or on 01622 237634.

KIMS Hospital is a Disability Confident employer and is committed to creating an inclusive working environment where everyone is treated fairly and with respect. We welcome applications from candidates of all backgrounds and will support reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process.

All offers of employment are conditional upon receipt of a satisfactory Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check.

Posted 4th November 2026

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