Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

JOB SUMMARY:

The post holder will be a key player helping to develop the surgery team. The team will continue to explore ways of providing high quality practice- based health care.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Accountability for own clinical work will seek guidance from the G.Ps when clinically appropriate.
• Providing nursing care and clinical services for a full range of procedures, such as wound care, vaccinations, immunisations, minor injuries, blood pressures, ear syringing, phlebotomy, skin disorders and smears.
• Managing caseloads
• Developing and auditing standards of nursing care
• Providing family planning advice
• Assist doctors in examinations e.g. coil fittings/ removals
• To be aware of, and act in accordance with, NMC standards and national policies, procedures and legislation.
• To maintain the standards of professional behaviour of the Practice and other professional bodies
• Preventative Health and Chronic Disease Management:
• Managing and evaluating screening and immunisation programme
• Providing health screening, planned and ad hoc, to patients of all ages, and advising and taking action on the findings
• In conjunction with nursing colleagues, managing the nursing care of all those patients with chronic disease and maintaining an appointment and recall system
• To take an active role in nurse run clinics, e.g. asthma, diabetes, C.O.P.D, hypertension, well-mans clinic, flu and osteoporosis
• Assisting with the implementation, review and maintenance of infection control measures in the practice
• Giving travel advice and vaccinations

Development, Teaching and Education:

• Participating in the continuing identification and assessment of the care needs of the practice population
• In conjunction with the Practice Manager, forming own personal development plan
• Initiating/ contributing to the development and review of practice nurse protocols
• Maintaining accurate patient records computer and paper
• Maintaining equipment and supplies and ensuring correct storage of medical and surgical equipment, including vaccines
• Summarising of patient records onto the clinical computer system
• Providing regular feedback to the Practice Manager, on request

Liaison and Team Communications:

• Liaising with members of the wider primary care team and agencies outside the practice to ensure appropriate care is provided
• Participating as an active member of the team, and attend meetings as agreed by the doctors/Practice Manager
• All courses/training to be agreed by the doctors/practice manager prior to being booked by the administration supervisor

Care and Programme Management:

• Develop a profile of the practice population in order to initiate, contribute and promote improved health
• Initiate and carry out programmes of health screening
• In line with practice policy, manage programmes of care for patients with acute and chronic diseases, by planning, providing and evaluating care
• All the above points in line with surgery policies

Clinical Practice Development:

• To enhance the nursing contribution and quality of care
• Implement strategies for quality assurance and quality audit

Nursing Management and Administration:

• The team will be accountable for the nursing services. This includes equipment/ instruments/ disposables used in the practice nurses area, doctors rooms and in the surgery public areas, as well as vaccinations, drugs and all clinical stock used in the practice, including safe and appropriate storage.
• To attend to patients who involuntarily emit bodily fluids e.g. vomit, blood, within the surgery premises, using appropriate cleaning materials, in line with health and safety recommendations.
• To provide written reports on occasion, as requested.

N.B.: The above job description is not intended to be restrictive and may change as a result of consultation with the successful candidate.

Qualifications

Essential

• Nursing degree or equivalent experience
• Registered Nurse (NMC)
• Evidence of immunisation training and assessment of competence in last 2 years

Desirable

• Post graduate diploma or degree (Primary Care)
• NMC Academic Assessors, Practice Supervisors, and Practice Assessors accreditations

Experience

Essential

• 6 months relevant experience working in a primary care environment in the last 2 years
• Immunisations (flu, routine, childhood, B12, travel)
• Wound Care / Treatment of small injuries / Removal of sutures & staples
• Womens health (Cervical cytology, contraception, etc.)
• Dressings
• Diabetes review
• Hypertension
• Cardiovascular disease primary prevention
• Coronary Heart Disease
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to GPs
• Understanding of Extended brief interventions (NICE guidelines)
• Cytology certificates
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Strong IT skills
• Clear, polite telephone manner
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook
• Competent in the use of patient record management systems: EMIS Competent in Document Management systems
• Effective time management (Planning & Organising)
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure
• Polite and confident
• Flexible and cooperative
• Motivated, forward thinker
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Ability to work under pressure / in stressful situations
• 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

Desirable

• Experience of chronic disease management
• Travel medicine
• Mental Health
• ECGs
• Venepuncture
• New patient medicals
• Chaperone procedure
• Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
• Asthma
• Spirometry
• Understands the importance of evidence-based practice
• Broad knowledge of clinical governance
• Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
• Awareness of issues within the wider health arena
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies
• Understands the requirement for PGDs and associated policy
• Competent in other portals: Open Exeter, Coordinate my Care
• Experience with audit and able to lead audit programmes
• Experience with clinical risk management
• Leadership and management skills, as part of a general practice nursing team with delegated accountability and responsibility for patient care
• Evidence, research and development - has an enquiring approach to practice to ensure best quality care is offered within any constraints of the service

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).