Practice Nurse

Job description

Job responsibilities

Job summary:

To provide and maintain a high standard of nursing care for patients, as well as providing nursing assistance to the GPs and other members of primary healthcare team. The duties will (in time and with training where necessary) include all tasks normally undertaken by an experienced practice nurse and any additional roles agreed between the nurse and the GP Salaried Partners.

Main duties and responsibilities:

Assist and perform routine tasks related to patient care as directed by the lead nurse and GPs. Such tasks may include (list not exclusive):

• Management of patients with chronic disease including diabetes, vascular and respiratory disease

• Administration of childhood and adult vaccinations

• Running well person clinics and health promotions programmes, facilitating change by providing assessment and lifestyle advice on diet, smoking, alcohol intake and exercise

• Interest in long term condition management

• Contribute to Quality and Outcomes Framework and other quality indicators as appropriate

• Perform holistic assessment of patients and attending for cervical cytology smear tests

• Perform venepuncture according to local guidelines

• Provide holistic approach to wound management and implement would care in line with current evidence based guidelines including the use of Doppler and leg ulcer management

• Assessing problems presented opportunistically by patients, dealing with minor illness

• Assist patients to identify their health needs, incorporating the use of care plans

• Removal of Sutures
• New Patient Medicals/Urinalysis
• Travel Clinic
• ECGs
• Asthma/Peak Flow Readings/Spirometry
• Venepuncture
• Hypertension Management
• Ear syringing

• Requesting pathology tests, for example urine culture, swabs

• Interest in Diabetes or Coronary Heart Disease and Contraception.

• Offer a holistic approach to travel health by providing comprehensive advice to patients prior to travel

• Following agreed clinical protocols with referral to senior nurses or GPs as appropriate
• Maintaining and cleaning equipment used by the nurses and GPs
• Chaperoning and assisting patients who are being examined by another clinician.
• Maintain general tidiness and cleanliness of nurses and treatment rooms
• Ordering of vaccinations to maintain stock levels
• Participation in administrative systems in the Practice
• At all times there will be a need to maintain accurate records
• A duty to advise senior nurses of potential problems or errors within a range of assigned tasks
• Attend and participate in any Practice meetings when required.
• On occasion there may be a requirement to undertake home visits

Any other delegated duties appropriate to the post

Special Requirements of the Post:

• An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality
• Ability to use own judgment, resourcefulness and common sense
• A commitment to maintain a high professional standard of nursing care and keep up to date with all aspects of nursing care relevant to the post
• A commitment to ensure all Health and Safety requirements and Infection Control measures are met and to report any problems to the practice manager
• A commitment to the effective use of practice and NHS resources
• An awareness of own limitations and experience
• To work only in accordance with the UKCC Code of Conduct and within the scope of professional practice
• To have a written professional development plan and to maintain an up to date portfolio which meets the requirements of registration with the UKCC
• Cooperate with annual appraisal meetings

For a full list of responisbilties please see the attached job description.

Person Specification

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 2 years post-registration experience
• Clinical supervision training and experience
• Knowledge of needs of patients with long term conditions
• Knowledge of chronic disease management
• Aware of accountability of own role and other roles in a nurse led service
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies
• Awareness of clinical governance issues in primary care
• Knowledge of patient group directives and associated policies
• Evidence of appropriate continuing professional development
• Proven ability to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of own practice

Desirable

• Ability to identify determinants on health in the local area
• Chronic disease diplomas in Asthma, COPD, Hypertension, Diabetes or vascular management
• Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
• Awareness of local national health policy
• Awareness of issues in the wider health economy
• Knowledge or experience in Audit participation and CQC Compliance
• Mentor/teaching qualification

Skills

Essential

• Communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to communicate difficult messages to patients and families
• Change management skills and ability to support patients to change lifestyle
• Negotiation and conflict
• IT Skills
• Uses own initiative
• Independent and team work
• Negotiation and conflict management skills
• Ability to collect, analyse and interpret data and to use that information to promote good patient care

Desirable

• Clinical Skills cervical cytology, immunisation and vaccination, ear care, minor surgery, travel health, BLS, Spirometry, childhood immunisations
• Experience of using Emis Web, Docman, ICE, INR Star, IQCQC toolkit, Blue Stream, Intradoc.

Qualities and Attributes

Essential

• An understanding , acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality
• Ability to use own judgement, resourcefulness and common sense
• Ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload
• Evidence and ability to grasp new concepts and work on a self-directed basis
• Able to work under pressure in a changing environment
• Ability to self-direct/motivate, organise and prioritise own workload
• Empathy for the health care / public service environment
• Enthusiastic, adaptable, innovative, forward looking
• Ability to work as part of an integrated multi-skilled team
• Strategic thinking with vision
• Personable, hardworking, reliable and resourceful
• Get on well with people at all levels

Other

Essential

• Flexible to work at desired times including late evenings, weekends and bank holidays to cover a 7- day operation.
• IT skills
• Car Driver

Desirable

• Clean Licence

Qualifications

Essential

• RGN/RN

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).

Employer details

Employer name

Eden Medical Group

Address

Port Road

Carlisle

Cumbria

CA2 7AJ

Employer's website

https://www.edenmedicalgroup.co.uk/ (Opens in a new tab)