Job responsibilities
JOB
PURPOSE
The
practice nurse will undertake a range of nursing assessments and provide
appropriate care / treatment in conjunction with GPs, and practice nurses or
independently as appropriate for the need, according to practice policy,
protocols etc. T
DUTIES
AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Professional
Responsibilities
Assist GP's to help deliver effective
implementation of management of pts with chronic diseases as detailed by the
Quality and Outcomes framework.
Contribute to the development of policies
/ protocols / guidelines within the practice.
Aid the practice team with implementation
of new initiatives in the delivery of chronic disease management services.
Formulate reports as required for the
practice manager and or senior nurse.
Support the implementation of
evidence-based guidelines in conjunction with the practice nursing team.
Encourage the development of integrated
services within Primary Care to include integrated practice based teams and
multidisciplinary working.
Promote the continuing professional
development of yourself and other nurses & HCAs within the practice.
Recognise the opportunities for working in
partnership with the Primary Health care team.
Participate in an annual appraisal.
Leadership
Provide professional and managerial
support to, health care assistants and review and monitoring of patients within
primary care.
Offer guidance and support to health care
assistants to improve standards of care if needed.
Participate in chronic disease management
clinics within the practice if asked and only after appropriate training, &
provide practical assistance and professional advice to achieve minimum
standards of care.
Provide clinical input where required
alongside practice nurses, particularly newly appointed nurses and GPs, to
assist in skill development and sharing of best practice.
Delegate to others, with appropriate
skills, knowledge and competence.
Encourage nursing practice in line with
relevant evidence based research.
Act as a resource to the general public,
patients within the health care system and their families, carers and various
healthcare professionals.
Clinical
Work alongside Health Care Assistants to
help develop their skills.
Support the practice in achieving quality
indicators and targets of the GMS contract and any relevant National Service
Frameworks.
Undertake opportunistic screening when
clinically required.
Perform occasional venepuncture and
electrocardiography - following appropriate training.
Undertake wound care/ management/dressing
techniques.
Carry out ear examination and syringing,
following appropriate training and assessment.
Undertake male, female and family planning
assessments give advice and refer patients appropriately - following
appropriate training.
Perform cervical screening and promote
breast awareness - following appropriate training.
Administer adult and paediatric injections
under an individualised prescription or Patient Group Direction, ensuring safe
storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs.
Undertake accredited training in specific
chronic disease management as or if required. e.g. diabetes, respiratory,
epilepsy, CHD etc. following appropriate training.
Contribute to the maintenance of the
practice diseases registers.
Provide advice on lifestyle issues, assist
and support patients in changing their unhealthy behaviours and refer
appropriately.
Provide an adult and childhood
immunisation service working to Patient Group Directions - following
appropriate training if required.
Delivers travel health care, including
vaccinations and advice for patients - following appropriate training if
required.
Recognise the signs of child abuse, family
violence, vulnerable adults, substance abuse, addictive behaviours, and suicidal
tendencies and is aware of local, referral procedures.
Education
and Training
Provide professional advice /support to
health care professionals within the Primary health care team
Following identified training needs,
participate in training and facilitation of other practice nurses & health
care assistants.
Provide mentorship and guidance for health
care assistants
Participate in partnership programmes of
awareness raising, detection and prevention of chronic diseases.
Maintain a level of expertise in specific
chronic disease management (when appropriate) and other pertinent areas of
health care, and seek to develop new and improved skills.
Advise members of the public on the
concepts of health promotion, education, prevention and protection
Seek out new knowledge of nursing and
health by reading, enquiring and partaking in continuous education programme.
Take responsibility for personal
development and education including in-service training.
Direct, supervise and help mentor nurses
and health care assistants in the clinical setting.
Actively participate in multidisciplinary
education and training.
Monitor and maintain consistency of
professional standards and take appropriate action if standards are not met.
Maintain professional development by
attending relevant courses and study days to keep abreast of current knowledge
and developments.
Abide by the legal requirements and
statutory rules relating to practice and record and maintain periodic
professional registration with RCN & NMC
Participate in an annual appraisal.
Communication
Maintain communication and liaise with
other disciplines across primary, secondary and tertiary care services as and
when necessary
Contribute to and work effectively within
the primary care team
Assist in clinical audit and the setting
and monitoring of standards of care.
Maintain accurate patient records
Advise and support other members of the
team aiming towards common objectives.
COMPETENCE
You
are responsible for limiting your actions to those which you feel competent to
undertake. If you have any doubts about
your competence during the course of your duties you should immediately speak
to the Nurse Manager in the first instance.
SUPERVISION
Where
the appropriate professional organisation details a requirement in relation to
supervision, it is the responsibility of the post holder to ensure compliance
with this requirement. If you are in any doubt about the existence of such a
requirement, in the first instance advice should be sought from the Nurse
Manager.
RISK
MANAGEMENT
It
is a standard element of the role and responsibility of all staff of Tinkers
Lane Surgery that they fulfil a proactive role towards the management of risk
in all of their actions. This entails
the risk assessment of all situations, the taking of appropriate actions and
reporting of all incidents, near misses and hazards.
RECORDS
MANAGEMENT
As
an employee of Tinkers Lane Surgery, you are legally responsible for all
records that you gather, create or use as part of your work within the
Organisation (including patient health, financial, personal and
administrative), whether paper based or on computer. All such records are considered public
records, and you have a legal duty of confidence to service users. You should consult the Lead Practice Nurse if
you have any doubt as to the correct management of records with which you work.
HEALTH
AND SAFETY REQUIREMENTS
All
employees of Tinkers Lane Surgery have a statutory duty of care for their own
personal safety and that of others who may be affected by their acts or
omissions. Employees are required to
co-operate with management to enable the practice to meet its own legal duties
and to report any hazardous situations or defective equipment.
FLEXIBILITY
STATEMENT
The
content of this Job Description represents an outline of the post only and is
therefore not a precise catalogue of duties and responsibilities. The Job Description is therefore intended to
be flexible and is subject to review and amendment in the light of changing
circumstances, following consultation with the post holder.
CONFIDENTIALITY
All
employees of Tinkers Lane Surgery are required to maintain the confidentiality
of members of the public and members of staff in accordance with Tinkers Lane Surgery
policies.
EQUALITY
Tinkers
Lane Surgery will take all practicable steps to ensure that staff are
recruited, managed, developed, promoted and rewarded on merit and that equal
opportunities are given to all staff.
Each employee is responsible for his or her own
professional and personal behaviour and there is a requirement of all staff to
conduct themselves in a manner which does not cause offence to another person.
See separate staff handbook for full policy details.
