Job responsibilities
SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES
To act as an autonomous practitioner working independently and in conjunction with other health care professionals to assess, diagnose and treat the conditions of patients attending within primary care initiating direct referrals as appropriate.
Provide expert professional advice to patients, carers and colleagues and ensure the maintenance of clinical excellence.
To develop new and innovative concepts, models, methods and practices to deliver new and improved education and training to other staff and students.
To undertake research as part of the role.
MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
The Nurse Practitioner works autonomously and is accountable for own professional actions.
- Undertakes Clinical Nursing Practice at an advanced level using expert knowledge and clinical skills to deliver holistic care to people accessing primary health care services.
- Assesses diagnoses and treats patients attending primary health care services with a range of acute, non acute and chronic medical conditions.
- Work with GP to manage nursing/residential homes to support the delivery of the Enhanced Health in Care Homes
Assesses diagnoses and treats patients in surgery and own home who require acute medical attention and refer to appropriate agency.
Refers patients to other medical specialities for assessment if deemed appropriate.
Refers patients as appropriate to other members of the multidisciplinary team, secondary care and to other statutory and voluntary organisations including referral for x-ray.
Has undertaken x-ray training as required by hospitals trust.
Makes critical judgements of the highest order to satisfy the expectations and demands of the job e.g. first contact with patients presenting acutely and manages care in the presence and absence of protocols.
Makes decisions where precedents do not exist, where appropriate without recourse to others e.g. direct referral of patients to Hospital Consultants without prior reference to other medical colleagues.
Advises and supports others where standard protocols do not apply.
Works within professional guidelines and codes of conduct.
Works within all relevant practice policies and procedural guidelines e.g. infection control, chaperoning, risk management.
Extended and supplementary prescriber.
KEY ROLE CARE AND PROGRAMME MANAGEMENT
Develops and manages highly specialized programmers of care and care packages and provides highly specialized advice concerning care normally beyond the scope of normal Nursing practice e.g. establishes differential diagnoses, management/treatment plans and makes referrals as appropriate. Makes fast track referrals.
Communicates highly sensitive condition related information to patients, relatives and carers.
Initiates the process of diagnosis with patients suspected to have a chronic disease
Contribute to practice targets both local and national within the disease management agenda e.g. QOF, prescribing incentive scheme, NSFs, National benchmarking.
Contributes to disease registers
Audits outcomes of care against standards and initiate changes as necessary.
Undertakes annual review of patients understanding and ability to self manage.
Refers to other members of the extended primary health care team as appropriate e.g. chiropodist, dietician, specialist Nurses.
Supports practitioners in profiling the practice population in order to initiate contribute and promote improved health and prevent disease in individuals and groups.
Represents individuals and families interests when they are not able to do so themselves.
Makes referrals to statutory and voluntary agencies as appropriate.
WORKING CONDITIONS
Frequent exposure to body fluids, blood, wounds, fleas and lice.
Occasional exposure to aggressive behaviour
Frequent use of VDU equipment.
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
DATA PROTECTION ACT
- All members of staff are bound by requirements of the Data protection Act 1998 and any breaches of the Act or of the confidential nature of the work of this post could lead to dismissal.
HEALTH & SAFETY
The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the Practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:
- Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines
- Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
- Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
- Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
- Reporting potential risks identified
EQUALITY & 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.
PERSONEL/PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of this employment, such training to include:
- Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
- Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work
REHABILITATION OF OFFENDERS ACT 1974
- Because of the nature of work, this post is exempt from the provisions of section (42) of the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 (exemptions) Order 1975. Applicants for this post are not entitled to withhold information about convictions which for other purposes are spent under the provisions of the Act and in the event of employment, any failure to disclose such convictions could result in disciplinary action or dismissal. Any information given will be completely confidential and will be considered only in relation to an application fro a position to which this order applies.
KEY ROLE SAFEGUARDING
All adults working in, or on behalf of the Practice have a responsibility to safeguard and promote the welfare of children. This includes:
- Responsibility to provide a safe environment in which children can learn.
- To identify children who may be in need of extra help or who are suffering, or are likely to suffer significant harm. All staff than have a responsibility to take appropriate action, working with services as needed.
At the induction staff will receive information about systems within the Practice which support safeguarding. This includes the child protection/safeguarding policy, staff behaviour policy (code of conduct), the role of the designated safeguarding lead (DSL) this can all be found on IQ.
All staff will:
- Receive a paper/electronic copy of, read and sign to say that they have read and understood Safeguarding Policy
- Receive safeguarding training which is regularly updatedas well as online safety training so they are equipped with the knowledge and skills to keep children safe.
- Receive regular safeguarding and child protection updates at least annually via email, e-bulletins and staff meetings to help provide them with an awareness of safeguarding issues (including FGM, honour based violence, forced marriage and radicalisation/extremism), relevant skills and knowledge to safeguard children effectively.
Be aware of;
- The process for making referral to MASH and for statutory assessments that may follow this and the role they may play in such assessments.
- Know what to do if a child tells them he/she is being abused or neglected and how to share information appropriately.
- Be aware that safeguarding issues can manifest themselves via peer on peer abuse and be clear about the school policy on peer on peer abuse.
