Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

To provide general and specific health screening to the practice population, in line with agreed protocols and reference to the General Practitioner, where necessary.

Make professionally autonomous decisions for which they are accountable and provide safe, evidence based patient care.

Be responsible for managing clinics and carrying out associated tasks including the following: Cytology, wound care, removal of sutures, travel vaccinations, ECGs, respiratory care, venepuncture, management of long term conditions, ear irrigation, routine, travel and childhood immunisations, chaperoning patients who are being examined by another clinician, urine testing, dietary advice, provide home visits for vaccinations, anaphylaxis and CPR.

Make appropriate referrals to other members of the primary, community and secondary care teams.

Deliver specialist primary nurse led service, including chronic disease management (including for all areas of QOF, the requirements of the Universal offer and the standard PCN direct enhanced service).

Administer child and adult immunisations and vaccinations in accordance with national and local programmes. Be competent in anaphylaxis and resuscitation techniques. Ensuring safe storage, rotation and disposals of vaccines and drugs and that adequate stock levels are maintained

Provide support and chaperoning to the doctors for minor surgery, specialist contraception and other procedures if required.

Promote health and well being, giving general education advice on diet, contraception, smoking chronic disease management, exercise etc

Contribute to the practice achieving its GMS contract obligations including quality, organisational and access targets. Working within the requirements of the CQC.

Where the post holder is an independent prescriber: to ensure safe, effective and appropriate medication as defined by current legislative framework.

Maintain accurate records according to NMC rules.

Ensure all data protection requirements are met when gathering, recording and storing patient data.

Liaise and maintain good working relationships with all members of the practice team.

Using of AccuRX as required to message patients

Processing of workflow/tasks

Undertake any other additional duties appropriate to the post as requested by the Partners or Managers

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, the practice Health & Safety Manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will 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
• Actively reporting health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
• Keeping own work areas and general patient areas generally clean, assisting in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness consistent with the scope of the job holders role
• Undertaking periodic infection control training
• Reporting potential risks identified
• Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children and 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 which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights

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

Professional development

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, 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

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

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered General Nurse with full registration with NMC
• Cytology qualification (or willing to work towards)
• Family Planning qualification (or willing to work towards)
• Immunisations qualified/trained (or willing to work towards)
• Competency in basic nursing duties required for the post

Desirable

• Knowledge of IT clinical systems (SystmOne)
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office software

Driving

Essential

• Car driver/clean license

Experience

Essential

• A demonstrable commitment to professional development
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills
• Willingness to contribute to multi-professional working
• Ability to work well autonomously and within a team
• Experience of dealing with the public/patients
• Able to demonstrate enthusiasm to develop nursing skills
• 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 priorities
• Pleasant and articulate
• Able to work under pressure and in a changing environment
• Able to use own initiative
• A commitment to ensure all Health and Safety requirements and Infection Control measures are met, as defined by national
• standards and the Practice Health & Safety Policy/Manual and the Practice Infection Control policy and procedures

Desirable

• Experience of teaching or mentoring
• Experience of writing/updating policies and protocols
• Experience of working in a GP practice

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).