Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

In Sunderland, we have a vision to develop healthcare thats fit for the future. Sunderland GP Alliance, a non-for-profit organisation owned by the citys GPs and representing over 250,000 patients, is part of that vision. Over the last few years, we have strived to improve services for patients and staff, developing and implementing ambulatory ECG, the management of post-bariatric services in the community, decision making and referral support software for GPs, a clinical pharmacy service for thirteen member practices, and post discharge clinics that reduce the administration burden on surgeries.

We are looking for a dedicated and dynamic practice nurse with a strong team ethos to join our team to further enhance our nursing complement. The candidate will also have the potential to develop their skills, lead on clinical areas and support teaching and training if desired.

Sunderland GP Alliance Medical Practice is one Practice which operates over 4 sites (Galleries, Barmston, Silksworth and South Hylton). We pride ourselves in providing a supportive and motivating environment for our staff and believe that getting our work-life balance right, creates a happy, healthy and creative team

We use EMISWEB as our clinical information system.

MAIN DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

The focus of this role will be the development and implementation of processes and care for the effective management of patients with long term conditions, utilising evidence based practice and promoting self-care for these patients. The post holder will have a significant role to play in leading further quality improvement processes with the rest of the clinical team.

There will also be the requirement for the post holder to the deliver general practice nursing and preventative health care to the practice population.

As an autonomous practitioner the nurse is responsible for the care they deliver, demonstrating critical thinking and skills in clinical decision-making for the optimum management of patients.

They will work collaboratively within the practice team to meet the needs of patients, support the development and delivery of policy and implementation of procedures.

All our Practice Nurses are expected to be passionate about the service they provide, actively engage in their own and team development and act with integrity and compassion at all times.

They will lead by example with particular reference to promoting excellence in preventative healthcare, communication with patients, equality and diversity and patient confidentiality.

Practice Responsibilities

Contributes to the evaluation/audit and clinical standard setting with colleagues.

Records data in patient records systems promptly and accurately and to agreed standards.

Ensures appropriate use of read codes.

Participates in the auditing of practice activity as required.

Responsible for health and safety of themselves and others and actively co-operates with Health and Safety Policies and procedures.

Processes and actions incoming patient and hospital correspondence.

Attends in-house meetings, significant event audit meetings and other meetings as deemed necessary.

Ensures that the practice complaints system is adhered to at all times.

Awareness and compliance with all relevant guidelines e.g. data protection, confidentiality and health and safety.

Maintain current CPR and anaphylaxis certification and child/adult safeguarding training in line with local policies.

Training & Development

Fully participates in training and development

Engages in a programme of ongoing support and feedback to maximise the benefit of the training and development plan.

Travel

Ability and willingness to travel across multiple sites is essential for this role

Confidentiality

In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately.

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 assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health, safety and security as defined in the Practice Health & Safety Policy to include:

Identifying the risk involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks.

Using appropriate infection control procedures particularly those relating to needlestick injuries, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards.

Ensuring that all accidents or dangerous accidents are reported and investigated, and follow up action taken where necessary.

Maintain training in line with local policies. Applicable to Practice Staff including GPs and nurses.

Equality and Diversity

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

Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with 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.

Quality

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

Alert the Practice Manager / Lead Nurse GP or 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 enhanced 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 recognise 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.

The employer is Sunderland GP Alliance and the post-holder is expected to comply with the Alliances employment policies and procedures.

Clinical Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Venepuncture
• Asthma
• CHD
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Infection Control
• Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
• Womens health (Cervical cytology, contraception etc.)
• Understands the importance of evidence-based practice
• Broad knowledge of clinical governance
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Ability to work within own scope of practice and to understand when to refer to GPs
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies
• Understands the requirement for PGDs and associated policy

Desirable

• ECGs
• New patient medicals
• Chaperone procedure
• Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
• Travel medicine
• Spirometry
• Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
• Awareness of issues within the wider health arena

Qualifications

Essential

• NMC Registration

Desirable

• Postgraduate diploma or degree (Primary Care)
• Non-Medical Prescribing
• Clinical Skills Primary Care

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Polite and confident
• Flexible and cooperative
• Motivated, forward thinker
• Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Ability to work under pressure/in stressful situations
• Able to communicate effectively and understand the needs of the patient
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• Effectively utilises resources
• Punctual and committed to supporting the team effort

Motivation & Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Problem-solving and analytical skills
• Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure

Desirable

• Strong IT skills
• EMIS clinical system user skills
• Experience with audit and able to lead audit programmes
• Experience with clinical risk management

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a primary care environment
• Experience of working as a practice nurse or community nurse
• Experience of chronic disease management

Other

Essential

• Flexibility to work outside core office hours
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
• Occupational Health clearance
• Appointment to this role will be subject to a satisfactory Standard/Enhanced DBS check
• The postholder must be able to travel reliably and independently between multiple sites

Desirable

• Mentoring qualification

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).