Band 6 Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

PRACTICE NURSE

REPORTS TO: THE PARTNERS Clinically

PRACTICE MANAGER Administratively

HOURS: Approx 24hrs

Job Summary

To provide and maintain a high standard of nursing care for patients, as well as providing flexible nursing assistance to the doctors and other members of the primary healthcare team.

Duties and responsibilities:

Following Practice policies, protocols and guidelines, duties will include:

Responsibilities for patient care

Assess the needs of patients, providing appropriate care/treatment in conjunction with the GP, or independently, as appropriate.

Refer to colleagues or other agencies as appropriate.

Provide the full range of nursing services, including venepuncture, ECG measurement, blood pressure measurement, urinalysis, vaccinations and immunisations, baby clinic, injections, cervical smears, swabs, travel services, health checks, assessment of risk factors, lifestyle advice, weight management, smoking cessation, family planning, etc.

Manage the care of patients with long term conditions. This may include organisational responsibility for specific disease areas.

Assess, plan, implement and evaluate treatment plans for patients with long term conditions, or at risk of developing one that meet identified needs and promote health and well-being.

Select appropriate tests for patients, and interpret and act on results where appropriate.

Support effective treatment and prescribing by working with patients in order to support adherence to prescribed treatments, reviewing medication for therapeutic effectiveness, and providing information and advice, including over-the-counter medication, on medication regimens, side-effects and interactions.

Educate and support patients as needed, including adopting healthy lifestyles, appropriate self-care for minor illness and following care plans for long term conditions.

Provide a sexual health service, where the postholder has the necessary qualifications and experience.

Assist in minor surgery procedures and IUD/implant fitting when required.

Organise and/or run initiatives, including contacting patients, to improve uptake of screening, vaccinations or other services and support the achievement of targets (e.g. under the Quality and Outcomes Framework).

Maintain accurate and contemporaneous records to relevant professional standards/guidelines.

Delivery of the patient service may require visiting patients at home. In particular the postholder will be expected to take part in annual flu vaccinations outside normal hours

Teaching and Training

Take responsibility for own development, learning and performance including participating in clinical supervision and training as necessary to update skills and knowledge and maintaining a record of own personal development.

Receive review and appraisal within the Practice.

Participate in the educational and training events of the Practice.

Organisation and delivery of the appropriate parts of educational programmes for medical and nursing students, and other learners, taking the lead and/or directly supervising as required.

Participate in the induction of new staff, students and other attached professionals as necessary.

Contribute to and deliver in-house training sessions for clinical and non-clinical staff.

Provide training to other staff where relevant to the post.

Feedback training or other information to team where appropriate.

Provide mentorship of staff in appropriate circumstances.

Communication

Communicate effectively with clinical and non-clinical colleagues to ensure the smooth running of the practices.

Liaise with community services, hospitals, other NHS staff and other agencies, such as local authority, social services and voluntary agencies, in order to assure appropriate care is provided for patients.

Attend external meetings as requested.

Communicate effectively with patients and carers, recognising their needs for alternative methods of communication.

Demonstrate sensitive communication styles to ensure patients are fully informed and consent to treatment.

Act as an advocate when representing patients and colleagues.

Teamwork

Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and the wider team, in a flexible and approachable manner.

Understand own role and scope within the organisation and identify how this may develop over time.

Participate in team activities that create opportunities to improve patient care.

Ensure clear understanding of and appropriate utilisation of services and referral mechanisms and policies to meet patient need.

Prioritise own workload and ensure effective time-management strategies are embedded in own practice.

Participate in Practice Nurse Development Meetings, Protected Learning meetings and others as appropriate.

Information Resources

Review, enter and process data using accurate Read codes in order to ensure easy and accurate information retrieval for monitoring, financial and audit processes. Understand and follow the requirements of confidentiality (including the Data Protection Act) and the Freedom of Information Act and refer on any queries as appropriate.

Follow Practice policy regarding the use of email and social media - computer tasks as the main internal method of non-verbal communication and the use of the practice intranet and the internet as the main source of internal and external information, including the retrieval of relevant information for patients on their condition.

Organisation/Quality

Working to enhance nursing services and improve the quality of patient care. This will include taking on particular areas of clinical and non-clinical responsibility where appropriate.

Support management in the development, organisation, implementation and evaluation of appropriate and effective services and policies.

Carry out administration and projects and lead on areas of work, as requested.

Recognise and work within own competence and relevant professional codes of conduct as set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

The efficient and prompt delivery of administrative tasks.

Prioritise, organise and manage own workload in a manner that maintains and promotes quality.

Deliver care to National Service Frameworks, NICE guidelines, NHS/CCG policy and evidence-based care.

Assess effectiveness of care delivery through self and peer review, benchmarking and formal evaluation.

Utilise the audit cycle as a means of evaluating the quality of work, implementing improvements where required.

Participate in quality improvement initiatives, including Significant Event Analysis, peer review and the review of patient complaints.

Cooperate fully and openly with the investigation of patient complaints (or other investigations), including drafting responses to complaints as appropriate.

Support and work towards the achievement of national standards.

Respect the privacy, dignity and beliefs of patients, carers, visitors and co-workers. They must be treated equally, irrespective of gender, ethnic origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion, etc.

Any other duty as requested, including covering for absent colleagues.

This job description is subject to periodic review and amendment in consultation with the post-holder in the light of changing circumstances.

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 2 years post-registration experience
• Involvement in implementing
• and using protocols and clinical guidelines

Desirable

• Broad experience of working at high level in primary care

Attributes

Essential

• Self motivated
• Enthusiastic
• Confident
• Able to work on own initiative
• Able to work as part of a team
• Ability to work across boundaries
• Willingness to learn and acquire new skills.
• Use initiative ability to adapt to changing requirements of the practice.
• Ability to be reflective accepts criticism and act constructively.

Circumstances

Essential

• Car driver/access to car
• Ability to work flexible hours when required
• Regular attendance record
• Smart appearance

Qualifications

Essential

• RN/RGN first level
• NMC Registration
• Evidence of Professional Development
• Knowledge of secondary care services and referral pathways

Desirable

• Mentorship qualification
• Relevant nursing or health degree
• Diabetes Diploma
• Insulin Initiation and Management Certificate
• Asthma Diploma
• COPD Diploma
• Travel Immunisation Experience.
• Interest in Dementia
• Cardiovascular Disease Diploma
• Cytology Certificate
• 2 day Immunisation and Vaccination Course

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of Health Service policies
• Basic Computer skills
• Excellent Communication skills both verbal/written
• Organisational skills
• Experience of audit
• Knowledge of Infection control policies
• Aware of accountability of own role.
• Awareness of clinical governance issues in primary care
• Knowledge of patient group directions and associated policy

Desirable

• Setting up information systems
• Research and Development skills
• Knowledge of EMIS clinical system
• Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
• Awareness of local and national health policy

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).