Practice Nurse

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job Description: Practice NurseJob Title

Practice Nurse

• Clinically: Lead Nurse

• Administratively: Practice Manager

• Full-time

• Permanent position

Central Medical Centre, Peterborough

To deliver safe, compassionate, patient-centred nursing care in the primary care setting. The role will involve managing minor illnesses, providing long-term condition monitoring and support, preventive health interventions, patient education, and working collaboratively with GPs and the wider practice team to ensure high quality care for our patient population.

Below are the main duties of this role, though they may be adapted over time as service needs change.

• Assess, diagnose, treat or refer patients presenting with minor illnesses (e.g. respiratory infections, skin conditions, urinary issues) in line with agreed protocols.

• Carry out monitoring and reviews of patients with long-term conditions (e.g. asthma, COPD, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease), including care planning, medication review, and ensuring targets are met.

• Deliver immunisations and vaccinations (childhood, travel, adult, seasonal) in accordance with guidelines.

• Perform sexual health services and contraceptive advice (if trained).

• Undertake wound care: ulcers, complex dressings, removal of sutures/clips; perform other treatment room procedures.

• Conduct screening and preventative health work: e.g. blood pressure checks, BMI, smoking cessation, health promotion.

• Perform diagnostic tasks: venepuncture, urine and other specimen collection, ECGs, spirometry / peak flow testing (as trained).

• Use patient group directives (PGDs) / clinical protocols as needed.

• Maintain accurate, timely and compliant patient records, using the clinical system (systm one).

• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team: coordinate with GPs, healthcare assistants, admin staff, others.

• Participate in clinical governance: audits, quality improvement, updating protocols and guidelines.

• Ensure compliance with infection control, safeguarding, health & safety and other regulatory requirements.

• Contribute to practice objectives including QOF or similar quality frameworks.

• Provide advice and support to patients to promote self-management of long-term conditions.

• Encourage healthy lifestyles: diet, exercise, smoking cessation.

• Support patients to understand their treatment plans, medications, and when to escalate care.

• Maintain NMC registration and comply with its Code of Conduct.

• Participate in annual appraisal, personal development planning, mandatory training.

• Keep up-to-date with clinical best practice, attend study days, training relevant to the role.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse (RN), valid NMC registration
• Experience in primary care or general practice nursing
• Proven experience managing long-term conditions (e.g. diabetes, cardiovascular, respiratory)
• Experience of minor illness work or acute presentation triage
• Competence in treatment room procedures: wound care, immunisations, venepuncture, diagnostic tests
• Excellent communication (verbal & written), interpersonal skills
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Organised, able to prioritise, with flexibility
• Competent in use of clinical IT systems (electronic medical records)
• Understanding of & commitment to clinical governance, safeguarding, infection control
• Smear taking qualification

Desirable

• Independent or supplementary prescribing qualification
• Specialist qualification in General Practice Nursing or equivalent
• Experience in travel health , vaccinations ,sexual health clinics
• Experience mentoring or supervising other staff
• Experience using PGDs; experience with audit quality

Experience

Essential

• Several years (e.g. 2-5 years) post-registration nursing experience, ideally including work in primary care or community settings.
• Proven experience managing long-term conditions (e.g. asthma, COPD, diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease) including monitoring, reviews, and care planning.
• Experience in dealing with minor illnesses: assessment, diagnosis (within scope), treatment / referral in line with protocols.
• Experience of working autonomously as well as part of a wider multi-disciplinary team.
• Experience using electronic clinical systems / patient records, and working with clinical governance, protocols or guidelines.

Desirable

• Experience with independent or supplementary prescribing.
• Experience in immunisations and vaccinations (routine, travel, childhood/adult) and in vaccination programme delivery.
• Experience in health promotion / patient education for self-management of long-term conditions.
• Experience of audit, quality improvement initiatives or contributing to protocol/guideline development.

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.

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

Central Medical Centre

Address

St. Martins Street

Peterborough

PE1 3BF

Employer's website

http://www.centralmed-peterborough.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)