Job responsibilities
To provide nursing care by assisting the clinical team in all tasks as trained at the direction of the Lead nurse.
To allow effective communication between patients, carers, doctors and otherprimary care staff.
To adhere to the strictest confidentiality when handling medical records and other information pertaining to patients and staff.
Key duties and responsibilities
Duties may vary under the direction of the Lead Nurse and Practice Manager depending on workload and staffing levels and may include the following:
Primary Nursing Duties
- Conducting health checks for new patients
- Perform smears and cervical Cytology
- Perform Anti coagulation testing & monitoring
- Providing wound and ulcer care
- Undertaking suture and clip removal
- Performing ECGs
- Performing doppler assessments
- Carrying out compression bandaging
- Measuring blood pressure, temperature and pulse
- Measuring height, weight, BMI and blood sugar levels
- Ascertaining smoking status
- Providing venepuncture and phlebotomy services
- Taking peak flow readings
- Undertaking urine testing
- Conducting routine immunisations including routine childhood immunisations
- Chronic disease management (Diabetes, learning disabilities, CHD Asthma/COPD)
- Undertaking opportunistic screening for diabetes
- Providing treatment during hypo/hyperglycaemic emergencies
- Assisting in providing emergency treatment for asthmas attacks
- Assisting GPs in minor surgeries
- Assisting in fittings of intra-uterine devices
- Administering therapeutic injections e.g Prolia, Zoladex, prostap & any other injections requested by secondary care
DUTIES WITHIN THE CLINICAL TEAM
- Ensuring that specimens are passed on to the pathology service
- Recognising changes in patient observations and taking appropriate action
- Advising patients with regards to healthy lifestyle choices
- Providing dietary advice for healthy eating and the recommended limits for alcohol consumption
- Offering travel health advice and ensuring patients are given appropriate immunisations
- Administering medications on prescription if required and according to Practice protocol/SOP
- Formulating specific wound management plans for patients
- Acting as patient chaperone when needed
- Applying infection control measures including safe disposal of waste materials, handling laboratory specimens, decontamination of instruments, dealing with body fluid spillages and reporting needlestick and other injuries
- Attending regular anaphylaxis and resuscitation training and demonstrating sufficient competency in other emergencies such as stroke, haemorrhage or infarction
- Assisting in seasonal clinics such as the annual flu campaign and monitoring vaccine storage
- Maintaining awareness of child health procedures and points of referral
- Recognising indicators of child abuse and family violence, referring appropriately
- Recognising indicators of substance abuse and addictive behaviour, referring appropriately
- Recognising the needs of patients with depression or at risk of suicide, referring appropriately
- Maintaining knowledge of contraceptive choices, emergency contraception and pregnancy, referring appropriately
- Offering advice on the causes and avoidance of sexually transmitted infections
- Advising & performing cervical cytology screening
- Promoting breast cancer awareness, self-examination and providing accompanying literature
- Promoting mens health including testicular self-examination, prostate disease, vasectomy and sexual health
- Ensuring stock replenishment and rotation