Advanced Nurse Practitioner

Job responsibilities

Clinical Nursing Practice :

• Work as part of a multi-disciplinary team to deliver safe and high quality care.
• Carries out clinical nursing practice at an advanced level using expert clinical skills, critical judgements & knowledge to deliver appropriate and safe care.

Delivery of care in line with NSF, NICE guidelines and evidence-based care

• Triage and treat patients, performing specialist assessment of their needs and make referrals as necessary to other members of the primary and secondary health care teams as appropriate.

Co-ordinate the planning and delivery of care ensuring patients and carers/relatives are involved.

• Prescribing and reviewing medication that is appropriate to patient needs and in accordance with latest evidence-based practice, national and practice protocols and within the scope of qualified practice.
• Diagnose and manage acute and chronic conditions, including drug and non-drug based treatment methods into a management plan.

Request diagnostic investigations and interpret within agreed protocols e.g. x-ray, blood tests, scans, etc.

• Assess, diagnose and treat patients in practice premises or their own home who require medical attention and/or refer to appropriate agency.
• Refers patients to other members of the multi-disciplinary practice teams, secondary care organisations and other organisations as necessary.

Care Management

Communicates confidential and sensitive information to patients, relatives and carers in relation to their condition.

Provide highly specialised care advice beyond the scope of normal Nursing practice e.g. care treatment plans, making referrals as appropriate (including fast track referrals).

Contribute to local and national practice targets clinical remit e.g. QOF, prescribing incentive scheme, National benchmarking.

To monitor and meet care outcomes against standards and recommend or initiate changes as necessary.

Health Improvement

Management of health screening programmes and ensures other team members are aware of health priorities and screening objectives and programmes.

Innovation in practice to meet ongoing demands on the practices delivery of care.

Improve health outcomes for patients by introducing new developments, and can demonstrate them as reports and presentations where appropriate.

Supports practitioners in reporting the practice population to promote health improvement and disease prevention.

Makes referrals to appropriate agencies (statutory and voluntary) where necessary

Administration and professional responsibilities

Produce accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient consultation, consistent with legislation, policies and procedures

• Participate in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the practice team
• Accurate and legible notes of all consultations and treatments are recorded in the patients notes
• Ensure clinical systems kept up to date, recording and/or amending accurate details
• Ensure appropriate items of service claims are made accurately, reporting any problems to the practice administrator
• Ensure accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patient health care and registration with the practice
• Attend and participate in practice meetings as required
• Restocking and maintenance of clinical areas and consulting rooms

Training and personal development

• Maintain up to date skills and knowledge, maintaining awareness of professional issues at an advanced level.
• Training needs will be monitored by yearly appraisal and will be in accordance with practice requirements. Personal development will be encouraged and supported by the practice.

Assess effectiveness of care delivery through self-reflection and peer review, as well as benchmarking and formal evaluation.

Contribute to the identification and assessment of learning needs of staff and other professionals and assist in planning effective programmes of education.

• Participate in the education and training of students of all disciplines and the introduction of all members of the practice staff where appropriate.
• Develop and maintain an in house nurse-training programme reporting to the practice manager.
• Act as a mentor for junior staff, assessing competence against set standards.
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work and ensure own educational commitment is at least sufficient to maintain revalidation requirements.
• Develop and maintain a Personal Learning Plan.
• Regularly participate in clinical supervision.

Leadership personal and people development

• Act as a clinical leader in the delivery of practice nursing services ensuring that the needs of the patient are a priority
• Support staff development in order to maximise potential
• Actively promote the workplace as a learning environment, encouraging everyone to learn from each other and from external good practice
• Critically evaluate and review innovations and developments that are relevant to the area of work
• Work with practice management to ensure sufficient staffing to provide a safe service, and that staff have the appropriate ability, quality and skill-mix to meet current and future service delivery
• Take part in recruitment processes where appropriate.
• Maintain effective communication and active involvement in the planning and processes of practice-based commissioning or similar initiatives
• Promote the role of the advanced nurse practitioner in general practice.

Manage, supervise, co-ordinate and guide the nursing team

• To manage the nursing service in participation with the practice manager, ensuring relevant information is disseminated to and from the nursing staff
• In participation with the practice manager, carry out yearly appraisals of all the nursing staff and produce a training programme
• Ensure adequate nursing cover is provided while within the practice guidelines, keeping the practice manager informed of any problems
• Develop and maintain practice policies and protocols for all nursing activity
• To be the infection control lead in the practice and ensure all staff are aware of current procedures
• To plan, chair and minute management and training meetings for all nurses following the training programme.
• Ensure agreed practice audits are carried out
• Ensure the practice manager is aware of any matters arising or problems / potential problems
• Ensure all surgery-produced nursing leaflets are kept up to date
• Produce a six-monthly nursing newsletter for patients

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Autonomous practitioner who can work independently and in partnership with other healthcare professionals
• High level of clinical skills and competency relevant to the role
• Works effectively independently and as a member of a team
• Flexible approach to meet service needs and ensure a stakeholder focused response
• Self-motivated and proactive
• Continued commitment to improve skills and ability in new areas of work
• Able to undertake the demands of the post with reasonable adjustments if required
• Able to work across both sites (Elstree & Bushey)l

Desirable

• Understanding of National Nursing strategy and implications for Nursing

Qualifications

Essential

• RGN / RN With current NMC registration
• MSc or BSc, Nurse Practitioner degree
• Independent prescriber
• Completed Nurse Practitioner (Primary Care) Post Graduate Diploma level
• Ability to triage and work with triage team
• Do home visits if required and appropriate

Physical Requirements

Essential

• Commit to a DBS Check

Desirable

• UK Driving Licence

Experience

Essential

• Minimum of 2 years experience post-registration experience of working in primary / community / acute health care setting
• Able to analyse and interpret prescribing data
• Able to manage acute illnesses, long term conditions and minor ailments
• Refer patients independently as appropriate
• Interprets a range of diagnostic tests and routine clinical procedures
• Has provided effective health education and health promotion to patients presenting with a range of health needs
• Excellent understanding of data protection and confidentiality issues
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with team members, patients, carers, and other healthcare professionals whilst recognising peoples needs for alternative methods of communication
• Has attention to detail, able to work accurately, identifying errors quickly and easily
• Committed to own continuing personal development and an ability to support others to develop and progress

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).