Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

The practice nurse will work as part of the primary healthcare team providing General Medical Services (GMS) to the patients of the practice, as well as supporting management team in the reviewing of clinical policies and procedures.

As a member of our team, you will be responsible for the delivery of nursing services, working as part of the practice multidisciplinary team, delivering care within nurses scope of practice to the entitled patient population.

Main duties of the job

The job holder will report clinically to the Head of Nursing/Team Leader and administratively to the Practice Manager.

Support the clinical team in the development of individual treatment plans for chronic disease management (such as asthma, COPD, diabetes, hypertension, CHD management).

Provide routine nursing care to patients as required in accordance with clinical evidence based, such as NICE, CKS, NSF.

Provide wound care including ulcer care, compression dressings, Doppler to patients.

Provide childhood immunisations, travel medicines, participate in flu clinic.

Refer patients directly to secondary care and other services as appropriate.

Maintain accurate contemporaneous clinical records.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered General Nurse (RGN) with current NMC registration.
• Qualification in the following chronic disease areas: Asthma and COPD

Desirable

• Chronic disease management qualifications in additional areas such as Diabetes and CHD.
• Childhood immunisation and cytology qualifications or willing to train to achieve these qualifications.
• Clinical skills qualification, degree level or equivalent.

Clinical Knowledge

Essential

• Wound care: removal of sutures & staples, compression bandaging.
• ECGs.
• Venepuncture.
• Chaperone procedure.
• Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly.
• Travel medicine.
• Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel).
• Women's health (cervical cytology, contraception, etc.).
• Understands the importance of evidence based practice.
• Broad knowledge of clinical governance.
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes.
• Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to GPs.
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies.
• Understands the requirement for PGDs and associated policy.
• Meet the requirements and produce evidence for nurse revalidation.
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) commensurate with the role of a Practice Nurse.

Desirable

• Cervical smear taker.
• Knowledge of public health issues in the local area.
• Awareness of issues within the wider health arena.

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral).
• Strong IT skills.
• Clear, polite telephone manner.
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook.
• Effective time management (planning & organising).
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously.
• Good interpersonal skills.
• Problem solving & analytical skills.
• Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure.

Desirable

• SystmOne user skills.
• Experience with audit and able to lead audit programmes.
• Experience with clinical risk management.

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Polite and confident.
• Flexible and cooperative.
• Motivated, forward thinker.
• Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required.
• High levels of integrity and loyalty.
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations.
• Ability to work under pressure / in stressful situations.
• Effectively able to communicate and understand the needs of the patient.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development.
• Effectively utilises resources.
• Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort.

Experience

Essential

• Nursing experience within primary care, secondary care or the community.
• Experience of chronic disease management including asthma and COPD.
• Experience of autonomous working.

Desirable

• Experience of working in a primary care environment.

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).