Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

PRACTICE NURSE JOB DESCRIPTION

1. Post Requirements:

The requirements of this post are:

Membership of the Nursing & Midwifery Council and as a registered practitioner you are professionally and legally accountable under the NMC code of professional practice.

Registration qualifications appropriate for tasks and responsibilities.

Commitment to maintain a high professional standard of nursing care and keep up to date with all aspects of nursing care relevant to the post.

Be aware of own limitations and experience.

2. Summary of Role:

To provide Nursing care and treatment to patients in participation with General Practitioners or independently to agreed protocols.

To ensure that all nursing care delivered is relevant, of a high standard and is clinically effective and to deliver sensitive information, advice and support regarding illness, treatments and care plans for patients and their carers.

To provide appropriate care and follow up to patients and carers within the surgery or their own home.

To advise patients on general health care and minor ailments with referral to the General Practitioners as necessary.

Responsible for nurse management of patients with chronic disease and for developing, implementing and evaluating care i.e. Chronic Heart Disease, Myocardial Infarction, Diabetes, Asthma, COPD and Epilepsy.

Provide women's health and family planning services to all patients.

Offer advice about childhood and adult vaccinations and ensure vaccines are administered under patient group directions.

Work collaboratively with colleagues, networks, secondary care, ICB, and local community services and ensure that there is a multi-agency approach to planning and organising care through a multi-disciplinary approach.

3. Accountability:

Accountable to the Partners and the Management Team

4. Responsibilities:

Access the nursing needs of patients in the surgery, the community and housebound.

Provide appropriate care and treatment in conjunction with the General Practitioners, or independently, as appropriate with and according to practice policies and protocols.

Maintain effective liaison with other agencies and staff concerned with patient care and with other disciplines within the practice with appropriate regards to confidentiality.

To assist in the formulation of practice philosophy, strategy and policy.

General Nursing Care of the patients in the surgery and their own home.

Have a range of clinical skills developed through experience and be competent to deal with the general nursing care according to practice policy and protocols and to refer to a general practitioner as appropriate or be prepared to train via the VTS scheme and practice in order to gain these skills.

These duties will include:

- Wound Care Assessment and Management

- Removal of Sutures

- Venepuncture

- Hypertension Management

- Immunisations, routine and childhood

- Travel Health advice and immunisations

- Screening e.g. Cervical Cytology

- Advise on general health care of minor ailments with referral to GP as necessary

- Telephone advice and support as appropriate

- Assist and chaperone other clinicians when requested

Chronic Disease Management

Assist in the provision of nursing care both in practice and within the patients home to those patients with chronic disease, participating in specific clinic sessions according to the practice policy and protocols:

- Diabetes

- Coronary Heart Disease

- Asthma

- COPD

- Epilepsy

- Learning Disabilities

General Treatment room duties

- Ensure that infection control procedures are adhered to.

- Treatment rooms are kept clean, tidy and adequately stocked.

- Maintain and clean equipment used by nursing team.

- Stock, maintain and rotate supplies and equipment in conjunction with the Health Care Assistants.

- Equipment is properly cared for, regularly serviced and any faults reported as soon as possible.

Record Keeping

- Document the assessment of need, the delivery of care, the evaluation of the outcome of care and make changes to the care plan for the patient and modify his/her practice with the patient.

Ensure that or each patient:

- Appropriate forms are completed correctly

- An appropriate entry is made in the patients medical notes (computerised)

Infection Control

- All staff have a responsibility to appraise themselves of how the protection of the spread of infection relates to their role. You have a responsibility to be aware of infection control and ensure that statutory regulations are implemented and adhered to.

Information Governance

- All staff are required to comply with the information governance related standards and polices at all times when dealing with confidential information, which includes any information relating to the business, it's service users and its employees.

Education & Training

- Continuing education is essential to ensure that the nurse is aware of up-to-date research based evidence to support nursing care and to ensure clinical effectiveness.

- Participate in the education and training of students of all disciplines and the induction of all new members of staff.

- Be responsible for teaching learners about care delivery from the perspective of an experienced nurse.

- Undertake and cooperate with annual appraisal and appraisal meetings, and be responsible for maintaining a record of personal and/or professional development.

Equality & Diversity

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

- Acting in a way that recognises the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with the 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, feeling, priorities and rights.

Communication

The post holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the teams and will strive to:

- Communicate effectively with other team members.

- Communicate effectively with patients and carers.

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 audit where appropriate.

This job description may be subject to periodic review and amendment in consultation with the post holder.

Qualifications

Essential

• - RGN Registered Nurse
• - Evidence of current registration with NMC
• - Degree/Diploma in Nursing or equivalent
• - Demonstration of ongoing professional development

Desirable

• - Mentoring/Teaching Qualification
• - Qualification in the management of long term conditions

Skills & Abilities

Essential

• - Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal
• - Commitment to team working
• - Flexible Approach
• - Enthusiasm and commitment to personal development
• - Well organised and able to prioritise workload of self and others if necessary
• - Good planning, organising and decision making skills
• - An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for the strict confidentiality
• - Willingness to learn new skills
• - Ability to work core hours

Desirable

• - Innovative
• - Support in the development of all team members

Other

Essential

• - Understands and is able to use appropriate infection control procedures and be fully aware and follow national standards of infection control and cleanliness
• - Flexibility of working hours/able to work at the desired times
• - Car driver/clean licence

Knowledge

Essential

• - Sound clinical knowledge necessary for General Practice
• - Appreciation of primary care nursing and the current climate of change
• - Understanding of nursing professional code of conduct, revalidation and core skills, and their application in practice

Desirable

• - Understanding of nGMS contract and implications for General Practice

Experience

Essential

• - Previous experience in developing, implementing and evaluating Chronic Disease i.e CHD/Diabetes/Asthma & COPD
• - Basic IT Skills
• - Use of computerised health records
• - To work as part of an established multi-disciplinary team
• - Confidence to work on his/her own initiative and support a multi-disciplinary team

Desirable

• - Previous experience in Primary Care
• - Participation in the education & training of students

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).