Emergency / Advanced Nurse Practitioner

Job responsibilities

Scope and Purpose of the Role

• To deliver a high standard of patient care as a Nurse Practitioner (NP) in an Urgent Treatment Centre, using advanced autonomous clinical skills, and a broad and in-depth theoretical knowledge base.
• To have the confidence to work alone without direct supervision.
• To manage a clinical caseload, dealing with presenting patients needs in a primary care/ Urgent Treatment Centre setting.

2) Job Dimensions

• To manage own clinical workload in general practice responding effectively to patient need and ensuring patient choice and ease of access to services.
• The development and use of referral pathways for NPs to the local acute NHS Trust services to Diagnostic and Treatment Centres.
• To mentor and support other nurses / paramedics in developing and maintaining clinical skills.

3) Knowledge, Skills and Experience Required

See Person Specification.

4) Primary Duties and Areas of Responsibility

Clinical Role

• Make professionally autonomous decisions for which he/she is accountable.
• Provide a first point of contact within the practice for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems, making use of skills in history taking, physical examination, problem-solving and clinical decision-making, to establish a diagnosis and management plan.
• Instigate necessary invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests or investigations and interpret findings/reports, eg x-ray.
• Where the post holder is an independent prescriber: to prescribe safe, effective and appropriate medication as defined by current legislative framework.
• Provide safe, evidence-based, cost-effective, individualised patient care.
• Offer a holistic service to patients and their families, developing where appropriate an on-going plan of care/support, with an emphasis on prevention and self-care.
• Promote health and well-being through the use of health promotion, health education, screening and therapeutic communication skills.
• Refer patients directly to other services/agencies as appropriate.
• Contribute to the practice achieving its quality targets to sustain the high standards of patient care and service delivery.

Teaching and Mentoring Role

Promote a learning environment for patients, nurses and other health professionals.

Contribute to the planning and implementation of the teaching for existing staff, such as medical students, NP students, GP Registrars and Health Care Assistants within the practice.

Professional Role

• Promote evidence-based practice through the use of the latest research-based guidelines and the development of practice-based research.
• Monitor the effectiveness of your own clinical practice through the quality assurance strategies such as the use of audit and peer review.
• Maintain professional registration.
• Participate in continuing professional development opportunities to ensure that up to date evidence-based knowledge and competence in all aspect of the role is maintained.
• Work within the latest NMC Code of Professional Conduct.
• Record accurate consultation data in patients records in accordance with the latest NMC guidance and other pertinent standards.
• Keep up-to-date with relevant health related policy and work with the practice team to consider the impact and strategies for implementation.
• Work collaboratively with colleagues within and outside the practice.

Qualifications

Essential

• Experience working in either Accident and Emergency / Minor Injuries Unit or GP.
• Nurse practitioner or Emergency Care degree or equivalent level training in related field.
• Experience in assessment, diagnosis and management of patients.
• NMV Registered Nurse.

Desirable

• Emergency Nurse Practitioner course.
• Accident and Emergency course or Enhanced Clinical Examination or Consultation Module.
• Minor injuries and Minor Illness course.
• Independent Nurse Prescribing.
• Primary care experience.
• Mentorship/and or Leadership.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working either in an Accident and Emergency, Minor Injuries Unit or General Practice.
• Taking history from a patient.
• Has an understanding of local and national issues relating to urgent care.
• Up to date knowledge of DH and NICE guidance.

Desirable

• Some knowledge in the management of minor illness/injury.
• Fracture management/manipulation and simple plastering.
• Suturing and wound closure (maintaining aspetic technique).

Skills and Abilities

Essential

• Assessment skills.
• Good decision making, communication and organisation skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to work effectively with people at all levels.
• Good IT skills to enable accurate recording of consultations.
• Committed to self-directed development.
• Assertive, adaptable and flexible.
• A team player.
• Enthusiasm and energy.

Desirable

• Understanding of chronic disease presentations for primary care including heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, asthma, chronic lung disease.
• Understanding of vaccinations and immunisations for children and adults.
• IT skills to perform library searches enabling enhancement of theoretical knowledge.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).