Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

As part of an integrated Practice Nursing Team and supported by senior nurses, you will be responsible for the delivery of practice nursing care to the practice population.

The main purpose of the role is to support patients to be healthy, monitoring long term conditions, health promotion and screening activities. You will work collaboratively with other professionals and will provide on the job training and support to the junior members of the nursing team.

PRIME DUTIES AND AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY

Clinical Working Practice

Wound Management

Undertake dressings

Undertake suture removal

Assist the Doctor in providing minor surgery sessions

Screening

Opportunistic screening to include BP checks, height, weight, BMI and urinalysis

Carry out new patient checks

Undertake venepuncture after referral of patient

Health Promotion

Make assessment of patient needs

Provide nutritional advice

Measure and record BMI

Understand patients motivation to adapt their lifestyle

Offer lifestyle advice and refer as appropriate

Offer smoking cessation advice

Vaccinations and Immunisations

Administer adult and childhood immunisations & travel vaccines under an individualised prescription or Patient Group Direction

Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs

Ear Care

Undertake ear syringing following Practice guidelines

Advise patients about safe ear care

Infection Control

Apply infection control measures within the Practice according to local and national guidelines. This includes:

• Universal hygiene precautions
• The collection and handling of laboratory specimens
• Segregation and disposal of waste material
• Decontamination of instruments and clinical equipment
• Reporting and treatment of sharps injuries
• Dealing with blood and body fluid spillages

Assist patients and colleagues in adopting sound infection control measures

Emergency Management

Competent in anaphylaxis and resuscitation techniques

Family Planning

Have an understanding of emergency contraception and refers patients as appropriate

Advise on risk of pregnancy and have knowledge of contraception options

Assist with family planning clinics as required

Womens Health

Have a working knowledge of the national and local cervical cytology and mammography screening programmes

Can discuss breast self awareness and provide supporting literature to patients

To facilitate sessions specifically designed for womens health problems

Undertake cervical cytology sampling

Mens Health

Can discuss and give basic advice on male health issues and provide supporting literature to patients

Minor Surgery

To provide assistance to minor surgery and ophthalmology clinic as required

Care and Programming Management

Diabetes

Have an understanding of diabetes

Assists in the diagnosis of diabetic patients and makes appropriate referrals

Supplies appropriate material for patient education

Is able to manage the emergency treatment of a diabetic patient with hypo/hyperglycaemic attack according to Practice guidelines

Respiratory Disease Management

Have an understanding of asthma care, its diagnosis, treatments and the principles of self-management

Checks patients inhaler technique and measure peak flow readings

Have a basic understanding of COPD treatment to support patients and make appropriate referrals

Cardiovascular Disease

Have an understanding of the pathophysiology of the cardiovascular system

Identify and advise patients on risk factors associated with cardiovascular disease, e.g. BP, lipid, glucose monitoring, family history, smoking, diet and exercise

Understand the basic management of patients with hypertension, angina, myocardial infarction and cerebro-vascular accident

Work with agreed protocols to empower patients to manage their own cardiovascular disease

Make appropriate referral for review based on issues identified in patients managements and needs

Clinical Practice Leadership

Assist in clinical audit and the setting and monitoring of standards of care

Assist and teach others in clinical setting, including unqualified staff

Act as an assessor / mentor to other staff where necessary

Work effectively in the team

Clinical Practice Development

Be aware of current research approaches to patient care and incorporates this in Practice

Have an understanding of the ethical dilemmas that impinge on general practice

Support structures that are in place for the smooth running of the Practice

Contribute to the efficient utilisation of the nursing resource

To be responsible for individual up to date nurse revalidation in accordance with NMC.

In addition employees are required to: -

Carry out such duties as may be reasonably required

Participate through personal development interviews in matching organisational aims with personal objectives

Take responsibility for the health and safety of themselves and others in the working environment

Experience

Essential

• Enthusiasm and commitment to patients health and well-being
• Knowledge of needs of patients with long-term conditions
• Aware of accountability of own role and other roles in a nurse led service
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies
• Knowledge of patient group directions and associate policy, QOF & DES
• Able to deliver the immunisation and vaccination programme, basic nursing skills and treatment room procedures
• Awareness of local and national health policy and issues within the wider health economy

Desirable

• Previous experience of having worked in a Primary care setting
• Ability to identify determinants on health in the local area
• Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
• Clinical Skills- able to perform cervical smears in line with cervical cytology programme
• Ear care
• Travel health

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered General Nurse qualification
• Current NMC registration

Desirable

• Membership of a professional body
• Nurse mentor qualification
• Diploma in any of the following;
• Women's Health
• CHD
• Diabetes
• Asthma/COPD

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Ability to work as a team member and automomously
• Good interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal
• IT Skills
• Negotiation and conflict management skills
• Ability to communicate difficult messages to patients and families
• Change management skills and ability to support patients to change lifestyle
• Commitment to undertaking study for relevant nursing diplomas
• Full UK driving licence to work between both sites and occasional visits
• Fitness to do the job. Able to work within manual handling Policy

Desirable

• Provide on the job training and support to others

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).