Practice Nurse

Job description

Job responsibilities

Working in accordance with the NMC Code of Conduct, the post-holder will collaborate with the nursing team in the provision of assessment, treatment, screening and advice to patients.

The post-holder will have the required level of training and competence and will work within patient group directions where these are available. A nurse with prescribing qualifications will use them appropriately within their own competencies only.

The post holder will endeavour to implement the practice ethos by encouraging a working environment that promotes healthy, safe and effective work outcomes. To also be a team player and advocate within the MDT where necessary.

Clinical responsibilities:

• Assess and treat patients with a range of health needs across the practice population
• Work with the wider nursing team to change policies and improve health and well-being and reduce health inequalities
• Contribute to the improvement of services offered by the practice nursing team
• Contribute to the team in quality assurance, development and clinical governance.
• To take responsibility for own learning needs that are identified as relevant to the job role.

Management of chronic disease:

• To offer up-to-date nursing care, where appropriate, in the diagnosis, monitoring and development of individual management plans; agreeing these with the patient and other health professionals

Therapeutic monitoring:

• Checking compliance with and adherence to appropriate treatments, using a holistic patient-centred approach
• Recognising abnormalities and referring appropriately
• Identifying the impact of treatment and implementing or recommending changes as appropriate.

Wound care and management:

• Assessing routine wounds including trauma
• Assessing [and prescribing] to support good wound management in complex situations (e.g. use of Doppler technique)
• Supervising HCAs carrying out wound care

Risk assessment:

• Recognising issues and gathering sufficient information to refer (eg drugs; domesticviolence; child protection; vulnerable adults; senior patients; social problems)

Health screening:

• Providing in-depth monitoring and advice as appropriate and working with the patient in deciding on management plans
• Perform Cervical Screening

Immunisation (adult and child):

• Working within public health guidelines, ensuring patients are fully vaccinated to current standards (including baby imms)

Ear care:

• Assessing the need for, and performing ear irrigation
• Dealing with more complex problems and prescribing if appropriate.

Mental health and Learning disability:

• Assist with the maintenance of Learning Disability and Mental Health register
• Carry out SMI and LD health checks
• Support effective patient monitoring and signpost when necessary

Contraception:

o Advising patients of all ages on contraception

o Signposting appropriately to sexual health services

o Carrying out routine pill checks, coil checks and coil removals

Confidentiality:

• 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.

Health & safety:

The post-holder will implement the management of their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice health & safety policy, the practice health & safety manual, and the practice infection control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):

• Aware of personal safety and related procedures within the workplace according to practice guidelines
• Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines
• Responsible for the correct and safe management of the specimens process, including collection, labelling, handling, use of correct and clean containers, storage and transport arrangements
• Management and maintenance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the practice, including provision, ordering, availability and ongoing correct usage by staff
• Implement infection control and clinically based patient care protocols
• Active observation of current working practices across the practice in relation to infection control, cleanliness and related activities, ensuring that procedures are followed and weaknesses / training needs are identified, escalating issues as appropriate
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across clinical and patient process
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills, and initiate and manage the training of others across the full range of infection control and patient processes
• Helping monitor practice facilities and equipment in relation to infection control, ensuring that provision of hand-cleansing facilities, wipes etc. are sufficient to ensure a good clinical working environment. Lack of facilities to be escalated as appropriate.
• Safe management of sharps procedures, including training, use, storage and disposal
• Aware of appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy, clean and sterile way, safe and free from hazards. Initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed or escalation to responsible management
• Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Undertake infection control training
• Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of vulnerable population groups.
• Safe medicine management and work within own sphere of competence

Equality and 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 practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner that is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/professional development:

In addition to maintaining continued education through attendance at any courses and/or study days necessary to ensure that NMC professional development requirements for PREP are met, the post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, with 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.

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources.

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.

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
• Off cover where possible and being flexible with your approach. Notifying the manager of any holidays and of any problems immediately

Be familiar with the areas of the surgery computer system that they are required to use in order to carry out their duties.

Be polite and helpful at all times even under duress.

Attend team meetings and other meetings relevant to their job.

Maintain high levels of personal cleanliness and hygiene in a clinical environment.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

• Applicants must be fully qualified as a registered nurse and hold a valid NMC registration.

Experience

Essential

• Previous experience of working within a nursing team.
• Candidate needs to be a hardworking, team player who has a can-do attitude and is flexible in their approach to patient care.

Desirable

• Previous experience of working in a GP practice.

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).

Employer details

Employer name

The Parks Medical Practice

Address

Health Centre

1 Western Drive

Hanslope

Milton Keynes

MK19 7LA

Employer's website

https://www.theparksmedicalpractice.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)