Job responsibilities
- To provide care for minor injuries, dressings, including pressure bandaging and higher level wound care, liaising directly, where appropriate with community and secondary care counter-parts, escalating to a GP as necessary and also provide supervision for less qualified nursing colleagues in the Practice.
- To do cervical cytology sampling, immunisations as outlined by national programmes and local guidelines, working closely with the nursing, clinical and admin team to crate systems to identify patients who are in need of such services and promoting the service hard to reach patients.
- To support the annual flu campaign and other mass population vaccination programmes as needed in line with national guidance
- To conduct and assist GPs in providing LARC services
- To assist in the provision of procedures such as minor procedures
- To act as a chaperone or similar support for other colleagues as needed
- To conduct and supervise if necessary other colleagues in anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, spirometry, urinalysis, phlebotomy, microbiology samples, ECG, ABPV, peak flow and other practice based tests as needed in the course of the care of patients.
- To provide patient health promotion/disease prevention education and counselling focusing on health behaviour change.
- To provide a comprehensive travel advice service and travel immunisations to patients of the practice in accordance with practice protocols
- To triage patients in person or over the phone to the appropriate member of clinical staff (doctors, nurses, phlebotomists, counsellors, chemists etc.) with the appropriate skills to meet a patients stated needs
- To assist members of the clinical team in providing a seamless service through an illness episode providing specific nursing capabilities and directing the nursing component of any illness episode.
- To liaise with community nursing colleagues to continue the provision of nursing care in the home if patients are unable to attend the practice and to transfer or share care as appropriate, visiting outside the practice if needed on exceptional circumstances to meet the needs of patients
- To provide support to the GPs in the management of chronic diseases such as diabetes, COPD, Asthma, Hypertension etc.
- To promote the health and well being of patients by counselling patients on the nature of their conditions, the use of the medications, diet, exercise and other health behaviours.
- To provide support and guidance to patients in times of crisis, breaking bad news where necessary to patients and carers and provide on going support as needed
- To counsel patients on the meaning of test results and other medical information, conducting phone and in person consultations; triaging patients to an appropriate clinician, finishing a line of investigation, or arrange additional investigations as appropriate in line with practice guideline and protocols and in partnership with clinical colleagues
- To eventually establish and participate in a robust system of clinical audit in partnership with other clinical and administrative colleagues, leading in areas appropriate, such as infection control, to a nursing skill set and supporting in other areas such as medicines management.
- To maintain accurate patient records, entering onto the practice system the appropriate agreed codes, using agreed standards of data entry, templates and protocols, completing all documentation, computerised and paper-based, as is required for good patient care.
- To support the SPN in creation, maintenance, documentation and training of others in robust systems of data collection, audit and review of all clinical activities, protocols, care pathways and clinical systems, liaising with fellow colleagues in the practice and in the local and national health system as needed to insure good patient care.
- To create and maintain in cooperation with other nursing and admin colleagues a system of clinical stock and equipment maintenance, calibration, and supply; working closely with the Practice Manager and SPN to insure cost efficient purchasing of perishable and expensive items.
- To maintain all documentation needed to carry out your clinical duties
- To participate in Infection Control procedure and protocols and their implementation within the practice.
- To maintain your own annual registration with the NMC and adhere to its Code of Professional Conduct.
- Maintain any other required registrations and certifications necessary to fulfil your role.
- To promote a professional approach at all times by dress and attitude to patients and staff, both in and out of the practice, setting an example for those under your direct authority and to the team as a whole.
- To maintain your own continuous CPD and insure a PDP is kept up to date in line with the practice and nursing team development plans.
- To participate in and attend practice meetings and in-house training
- Provide appropriate constructive feedback to all members of the team and at times being prepared to challenge your colleagues, clinical and administrative, to maintain high standards of professionalism, patient care, service and excellence, prompting others to fulfil their own explicit and implicit responsibilities to patients and colleagues.
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 the 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.
Equality and Diversity
Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs, feelings and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues and acting in a manner which is non-judgemental and welcoming to and of the individual
Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peopls 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-judgemental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.
Safeguarding
Ensuring knowledge of Safeguarding is up to date and Practice policy on Safeguarding is read and fully implemented
Communication
Communicate effectively with other team members, patients and carers and outside agencies to enhance the teams performance and meet patients needs.
Personal/Professional Development
Participation in all mandatory training sessions/e.learning and attending any training programme implemented by the practice
Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work
Participation in a six monthly individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
Contribution to the Implementation of Services
The post-holder will:
- Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
- Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
- Participate in audits where appropriate
Health and Safety
The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health and 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.
Notifying the Practice Manager immediately of any changes in Health and Professional Registration.