Job responsibilities
JOB TITLE: FIXED TERM PHLEBOTOMIST/HCA
REPORTS TO: Lead Nurse (Clinically)
Practice Manager (Administratively)
HOURS: Part time
Job summary:
- Working under the direct supervision of the Lead Nurse and strictly in accordance with specific practice guidelines and protocols, the post-holder will be responsible for performing venepuncture to obtain blood samples from patients only as the result of a direct referral from a GP or nurse practitioner.
Duties and responsibilities:
- Ensuring that the patient is as comfortable and relaxed as possible and confirming their agreement to the collection of a blood sample
- Collection of sample(s) of blood in accordance with training and procedures
- Ensuring samples are stored in appropriate containers
- Accurate, legible labelling of all samples to confirm patient identity
- Use ICE online lab request system for all samples sent to the lab
- Checking patient identification against GP/nurse request and confirming with patient whenever possible
- Use Emis web software to ensure accurate and detailed information about each consultation is stored in the patient records
- Ensuring that samples are dispatched to the appropriate laboratories in a timely fashion
- Perform urinalysis, sending samples to the lab as required, ensuring they are correctly labelled and packed.
- Ensuring that anomalies are reported to a senior member of staff
- Notifying the GP/nurse of any significant patient issues
- Liaising with and assisting members of the administrative team
- Maintain all clinical rooms and areas to high standard of cleanliness and order, adhering to local and national control of infection policies.
- Maintain an agreed level of clinical supplies to all clinical areas
- Record the vaccine fridge temperatures daily
- Empty the sample fridge each morning and put out samples for collection to the labs.
- Prioritise own workload by ensuring enough time for daily task in addition to patient contact time
- Be aware of limitations of the role and refer to clinician/line manager as necessary.
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 that 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
Health & safety:
The post-holder will ensure their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health & Safety policy, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to):
- Using personal security systems 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
- 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 across the full range of infection control and patient processes
- Monitoring 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 use, storage and disposal
- Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy, clean and sterile and safe way, 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
- Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, sterile, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers
- Undertaking periodic infection control training
- Adhere to waste management protocol, including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection
- Spillage control procedures and management
- Decontamination control procedures, management and training, and equipment maintenance
- Maintenance of sterile environments
- Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults.
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:
The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, 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 their 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 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
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
