Practice Nurse

Job description

Job responsibilities

Principle Responsibilities:

• Assist in and perform routine tasks related to patient care as directed by senior management staff and GPs

• Chronic disease monitoring in line with requirements of QOF

• Cytology

• New Patient Medicals/Urinalysis

• Travel Clinic

• ECGs

• Asthma/Peak Flow Readings/Spirometry

• Hypertension Management

• Routine immunisations/Childhood immunisations

• Chaperoning and assisting patients where appropriate who are being examined by another clinician

• Requesting pathology tests, for example urine culture, swabs

• Contraception.

• Following agreed clinical protocols with referral to senior nurses or GPs as appropriate

Other tasks will include

• Chaperoning and assisting patients who are being examined by another clinician.

• Maintain general tidiness and cleanliness of nurses and treatment rooms

• Participation in administrative systems in the Practice

• Attend and participate in any Practice meetings when required.

• Undertake home visits for chronic disease monitoring and flu immunisation

• Any other delegated duties appropriate to the post

• Monitoring QOF and undertaking call and recall of patients for chronic disease clinics

• Responsibility of actioning blood results relevevant to chronic disease monitoring

Set up for and assist with:

• Minor surgery procedures including joint injections

• IUD insertion and removal

• Implanon insertion and removal

The practice nurse will refer to a supervising member of the clinical team/GP if deviation from the protocol is required, if unsure in any way, or where clinical judgement is required before proceeding.

Drugs will be administered only on the basis of written and signed medical authorisation.

Record keeping and administration

• Make accurate and contemporaneous records of all patient encounters in accordance with practice records protocols and coding protocols

• Accurately label and document patient samples and submit for collection and analysis.

• Contribute to nursing team record keeping (clinical, administrative, Health and Safety related records).

• Maintain skills in using patient appointment system.

Personal/Professional development

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Comply with NMC Code of Conduct and keep registration up to date, documented and checked in the practice on an annual basis.

• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work

• Prioritise own work and work effectively with others to prioritise team and practice workload.

• Undertake training needed to ensure competencies for delivering all responsibilities.

• Maintain awareness of current evidence-based approaches to patient care and update practice accordingly and in consultation with the team

• Attend and contribute to in-house training events.

• Take responsibility for own development including maintenance of a Personal Development Plan and record of learning, clinical supervision, staff appraisals, giving and receiving feedback, performance .management with the support and supervision of qualified staff

• Undertake regular mandatory training (child protection, vulnerable adults, basic life support, moving and handling etc).

Confidentiality:

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately

In the performance of the duties outlined in this job description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential

Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health and Safety:

In accordance with the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and other supplementary legislation, you are required to take reasonable care to avoid injury during the course of work and co-operate with Weaver Vale Practice and others in meeting statutory regulations. You are also required to attend statutory training as required to fulfil your duties.

This will include:

• Minimising risk to self and others in the workplace.
• Identifying and reporting hazards/risks and contributing to control measures.
• Adhering to all relevant policies including infection control, cold chain
• Contributing to keeping the working area and patient areas tidy and free from hazards.
• Using protective equipment and clothing provided and in accordance with the practices policy.
• Handling specimens and clinical waste/sharps in accordance with practice policy.
• Applying correctly spill control and decontamination policies
• Ensuring sufficient supplies of all cleansing and infection control materials.
• Attending regular health and safety training.

• Record fridge temperatures, clean fridges, promptly report temperature variations from standard.

• Rotate stock according to date, maintain appropriate records and discard out of date stock in accordance with practice protocol.

• Prepare clinical areas between patients in accordance with infection control procedures including cleaning surfaces and equipment.

• Dispose of all clinical waste/sharps in accordance with practices infection control protocol.

• Clean/maintain all equipment in accordance with infection control and equipment maintenance policies.

• Take action to manage spills or decontaminate affected areas.

Supplies management

• Check stock in all clinical rooms.

• Order replacement stock and restock clinical rooms.

• Order vaccines to maintain stock levels and store according to practice cold chain and storage policies.

• Maintain accurate stock records, including liaison with Practice Manager by providing order confirmations for invoice checking.

• Order most economic supplies available and use with economy.

• Order and maintain stock of health information leaflets and keep displays up to date.

Equipment maintenance and calibration

• Contribute to care and maintenance of equipment.

• Organise repair and regular maintenance and calibration of equipment, including equipment maintenance/checking/calibration log.

  Quality

• Provide services to the practices patient population to the highest possible standard.

• Work to agreed standards, monitor and maintain the standard of care offered.

• Take action if standards are not met (self or others).

• Contribute to clinical governance activities/clinical audit to ensure continual improvement of service delivery.

• Contribute to complaints responses/reviews, significant event, peer review and other shared learning activities.

• Support and mentor staff in training.

• Support the performance of team members including giving and receiving effective feedback.

Equality and diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Communication

• Advise patients of the Practice Nurse role, its extent and limits.

• Appropriately advise and refer on patients if they require the services of a GP or other clinical team member.

• Communicate effectively, promptly and appropriately with patients and team members.

• Modify method of communication with patients to suit the situation, recognise problems/barriers and take action or seek help at an early stage when they arise.

• Communicate risk to patients and ensure proper consent gained where appropriate.

• Contribute to practice and nursing team meetings.

Contribution to the implementation of services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
• Participate in audit where appropriate

Postscript:

The post holder may be required to undertake other related duties not specifically mentioned above. Any changes to this role specification will be made in consultation with the post holder.

Weaver Vale Practice operates a No Smoking Policy and is an equal opportunities employer.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• RGN

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in Primary Care
• Understanding the complexities of managing change
• Management and education of patients with chronic diseases
• Childhood immunisations
• Cytology and womens health.
• Travel health
• Sexual health
• Spirometry

Desirable

• Knowledge of Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF)

Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Ability to work flexibly
• Ability to share information and good practice
• Ability to travel to home visits

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.

Certificate of Sponsorship

Applications from job seekers who require current Skilled worker sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. For further information visit the UK Visas and Immigration website (Opens in a new tab).

From 6 April 2017, skilled worker applicants, applying for entry clearance into the UK, have had to present a criminal record certificate from each country they have resided continuously or cumulatively for 12 months or more in the past 10 years. Adult dependants (over 18 years old) are also subject to this requirement. Guidance can be found here Criminal records checks for overseas applicants (Opens in a new tab).

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).

Employer details

Employer name

Weaver Vale Practice

Address

Hospital Way

Runcorn

Cheshire

WA7 2UT

Employer's website

http://www.weavervalepractice.nhs.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)