Advanced Nurse Practitioner

Job responsibilities

Job summary:

The role is for an experienced Advanced Nurse Practitioner who will provide assessment and care of the acutely presenting patient within the practice. They will be able to work autonomously within the scope of their experience and qualifications but will have the support and supervision of the doctors within the practice. This includes appointments within the surgery as well as on occasion, visits to patients in their own homes or nursing/residential homes where required. They will recognise and work within their own competence and professional code of conduct as regulated by the NMC. In order to work at this level NMC requirements for advanced clinical practice must be met.

Job responsibilities:

A fully qualified Advanced Nurse Practitioner will be competent in delivering the following services. For a registered Advanced Nurse Practitioner entering general practice it is recognised that they might not yet have all these skills and as such training will be given as appropriate.

Clinical

Assess, examine, diagnose, and develop management plans for patients presenting with a new problem. Deliver evidence-based care according to national and local guidelines.

Prescribe within the scope of knowledge in accordance to both practice, NHS Dorset and National guidance.

Produce accurate complete records of patient consultation using accurate cod to ensure easy and accurate information retrieval for monitoring and audit processes.

Assist the practice to obtain the level of QoF points required by acting on highlighted QoF indicators where appropriate.

Provide information and advice on prescribed or over-the-counter medication on medication regimens, side-effects, and interactions.

Prioritise health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care.

Support patients in the application of the principles of self-care and healthy living.

Where suitably qualified, to manage the health needs of women presenting for family planning, cervical cytology, or sexual health consultation.

Participate in opportunistic vaccination and immunisation of both adults and children.

Follow agreed clinical protocols with referral to GPs as appropriate.

If required, to assess and manage the needs of patients presenting for opportunistic wound care or phlebotomy provision.

Support the nursing team with assessing patients who have presented with issues beyond those the nurse/HCA feels competent to manage where it is within the clinical scope of your own competence.

General

Take responsibility for your own learning and personal development to include acting as a positive role model.

Have an awareness of and compliance with all relevant practice policies/guidelines, such as prescribing, confidentiality, data protection, health and safety.

Communicate effectively with patients and carers, recognising the need for alternative methods of communication to overcome cultural and language barriers.

Carry out consultations within the practice face to face, by telephone or using online or other methods as appropriate.

Use the audit cycle to evaluate the quality of the work within the practice and use results to implement improvements where required.

Support and participate in shared learning across the practice and wider organisation.

Understand and apply legal issues that support the identification of vulnerable and abused children and adults and be aware of statutory child/vulnerable patients health procedures and local guidance including contributing to case conferences or documentation if required.

Maintain and clean equipment as per guidelines that are used in the course of your duty.

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

Maintain general tidiness and cleanliness of the consultation or treatment room that you are working in.

Participation in administrative systems in the Practice

A duty to advise GP(s) of potential problems or errors within the range of assigned tasks.

Attend and participate in any Practice meetings when required. These may be on days you do not normally work, however you are expected to attend and will be paid overtime.

On occasion there may be a requirement to undertake home visits

Any other delegated duties appropriate to the post

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Self-directed practitioner
• Excellent communication skills both written and verbal with experience of communicating difficult messages to patients and families
• Highly motivated
• Flexibility
• Enthusiasm
• Team player and able to work across boundaries

Specialist Knowledge/Skills

Essential

• Advanced Clinical Practice skills
• Clinical examination skills
• Accountability of own role
• Management of patients with long-term conditions
• Management of patients with complex conditions
• Clinical Governance issues in primary care
• Patient Group Directives, Patient Specific Directives and associated policy

Desirable

• Understanding of national and local health policy
• Knowledge of public health issues
• Mentoring and training experience
• Specialism in an are other that minor ailments/injuries such as sexual health, diabetes, respiratory, mental health

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered first level nurse
• MSc, Level 7 qualification or equivalent (NMC requirements for advanced practice must be met)
• Independent/supplementary nurse prescribing qualification
• Advanced nursing specialist qualification
• Relevant nursing/health degree

Desirable

• Clinical supervision training and experience
• Specialism in area other minor ailments/injuries such as sexual health, diabetes, respiratory, mental health

Experience

Essential

• Nurse Prescribing
• Nurse-led management of minor illness, minor ailments and other minor injuries
• Nurse-led triage
• Audit

Desirable

• 2 years + recent primary/community nursing experience
• Compiling clinical protocols and guidelines
• Research and QI

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).