Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

Job description

Job title: Practice Nurse

Report to: Nurse team leader / the partners (clinically)

The Practice Manager (administratively)

Hours: 37 hours per week (part time applicants considered)

Term of employment: Permanent (subject to references, employment checks and satisfactory completion of a probationary period)

The successful candidate will be employed by the surgery and not by Cardiff and Vale Health Board

Salary: Negotiable

Job Summary:

The Practice Nurse will work as part of the primary healthcare team providing General Medical Services to the patients of Practice.

Previous practice nursing experience is extremely desirable and experience of or an interest in the care and management of diabetics. This would include running a nurse lead diabetic clinic.

Job Responsibilities:

• Assist in and perform routine treatment room tasks related to patient care.
• Cytology.
• Wound / ulcer care.
• Removal of Sutures.
• New Patient Medicals/Urinalysis.
• Travel Health Advice and Immunisations.
• ECGs.
• Asthma.
• Venepuncture.
• Hypertension Management.
• Routine immunisations/Childhood immunisations.
• Chaperoning and assisting patients where appropriate who are being examined by another clinician.
• Assisting GPs with minor surgery.

• Requesting pathology tests, for example urine culture, swabs.
• Interest in Diabetes and nurse led diabetic clinics.
• Following agreed clinical protocols with referral to senior nurses or GPs as appropriate.
• Warfarin monitoring.
• Contraceptive checks / Depo Provera.

Other tasks will include:

• Maintaining and cleaning equipment

• Maintaining treatment, stocking and rotating items as required.
• Chaperoning and assisting patients who are being examined by another clinician.
• Maintain general tidiness and cleanliness of treatment rooms.
• Ordering of Health Promotion Literature.
• Ordering of stock from the Hospital.
• Ordering of vaccinations to maintain stock levels.
• Participation in administrative systems in the Practice.
• Maintain accurate and contemporaneous records.
• Advise the Practice Manager and Partners of potential problems or errors within the range of assigned tasks.
• Attend and participate in Practice meetings when required.
• Any other delegated duties appropriate to the post.

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

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines.
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks.
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills.
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards.
• Reporting potential risks identified.

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. This includes having regard to and complying with the nine protected characteristics under anti-discrimination legislation (age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage / civil partnership, pregncy and maternity, race, religious belief, sex and sexual orientation).
• 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-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

The post holder will comply with the Practice equality and diversity policy and associated polices, which recognise and protect the nine personal characteristics. The policies aim to ensure that all employees and patients are treated equally and fairly.

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 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.
• Recognize 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.

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 Senior Nurse, Doctor or Practice Manager.

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered General Nurse Level 1 minimum.
• Commitment to continuing professional development.

Desirable

• Post registration qualifications in relevant areas e.g. Cytology / Phlebotomy.
• Qualifications to diploma level or above.
• Infection prevention and control.

Qualities / attributes

Essential

• Able to work under pressure.
• Able to work in a busy environment.
• Able to work as part of an integrated multi skilled team.
• Able to work without supervision and use own judgement.
• Ability to maintain a satisfactory level of attendance.
• Work extra hours as required.
• Willing to undertake further relevant training.

Desirable

• Work extra hours as required.
• Willing to undertake further relevant training.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in accordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct.
• Practice / community nursing experience.
• Nurse led diabetic clinics.

Desirable

• Able to undertake all elements of Practice Nurse Work.

Knowledge and skills

Essential

• Competent in nursing duties required by the post.
• Computer literate.
• Excellent communication and literacy skills.
• Able to use own initiative.
• Problem solving and analytical skills.

Desirable

• Use of EMIS Web.
• Ordering and stock control.
• Plan delegated workload.

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).