Nursing Associate

Job responsibilities

Duties and Responsibilities

General

• Responsible for attending to patients who wish to be seen by a health care professional; treating patients and advising people in respect of their continuing nursing needs.
• To priorities the needs of patients accordingly making any necessary referrals for investigations in the appropriate manner.
• To maintain a safe and effective level of practice and to bring any concerns of deficits in training to the attention of the senior nurse so these can be addressed.
• Responsible for own practice and must ensure that limitations are always acknowledged.
• Maintain confidentiality at all times. Ensuring that patients issues are only discussed with professionals with the practice.
• To assist and perform routine nursing tasks related to patient care, such as routine BP checks, weight and height measurements, blood tests and record blood sugar levels, pulse and temperature recordings, ECG,BMI and lifestyle advice.
• Assist in minor surgery procedures.
• To ensure adequate clinical stock levels and maintain an effective stock management system.
• To continue with professional development.
• Engage in reflective practice including self-management and self-reflection, asking questions, and reflecting on answers given.
• Participate in Quality Improvement activities.
• Enable patients, families, and carers to develop their knowledge and understanding about their health and well-being and be as self-managing as possible.
• To assist and perform routine nursing tasks related to patient care
• To support patients to improve and maintain their mental, physical, behavioural health and wellbeing by using behaviour change interventions, such as undertaking health checks (physical and mental), smoking cessation services.
• Provide healthy lifestyle advice regarding diet/exercise/smoking.
• Advise patients on general healthcare and promote self-management where appropriate, including signposting patients to personalised care colleagues and local community and voluntary sector services.
• Assist in minor surgery procedures.
• To provide support and supervision to training nursing associates, healthcare assistants, apprentices, and those on learning assignments/placements as required.
• The collection of clinical waste, ensuring appropriate storage prior to disposal.
• To ensure adequate clinical stock levels and maintain an effective stock management system.
• The checking and recording of medical supplies on receipt.
• Ensure adequate infection control procedures in treatment and consulting rooms.
• To maintain accurate patient records and enter onto the computer.
• Ability to understand when to seek advice and refer patient to other health professionals.
• To continue with professional development.
• Participate in meetings and projects.
• Assessment and planning of delegated care.
• Administering of Medication, where necessary, in accordance within regulatory guidelines for Nursing Associates.
• Be able to perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation according to current UK guidelines.
• Ensure infection control guidelines are maintained.
• Communicate effectively with other members of the primary health care team and patients.
• Preserve confidentiality.
• Empathise with, and support people to improve and maintain their mental and physical health and wellbeing.
• Act in the best interests of service users, carers, families and communities cared for
• Use knowledge and experience to make evidence-based decisions and solve problems.
• Engage in reflective practice including management of self and reflection on own reactions, asking questions and reflecting on answers given.
• Participate in Quality Improvement activities.
• Be responsible for own actions.

Clinical

Vaccinations and Immunisations:

• Undertake and deliver the childhood and travel immunisation programme for the Practice and, as skills develop, eventually become the Lead Nurse for all vaccinations and immunisations.
• Administer injections under an individual prescription or Patient Group Direction
• Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs
• Become the adviser for all immunisation to all other clinical and administrative staff.

Wound Management

• Perform wound care using aseptic technique
• Undertake uncomplicated dressings, including leg ulcers
• Suture and clip removal

Cervical Screening

• Advise patients on the national and local cervical cytology and mammography screening programmes

• Undertake a programme of cervical cytology sampling under supervision until competent
• Take swabs for microscopy as directed
• Offer health promotion/lifestyle advice to patients

Chronic Disease Management:

• including monitoring patients with stable asthma and undertake preliminary investigations for Type 2 diabetes patients, such as foot checks and their continued management.

Skills and Personal Qualities

Essential

• Skills
• Ability to organise and prioritise own delegated workload
• Ability to communicate effectively (written, verbal and non-verbal communication) with patients/relatives and carers and all members of the multi -disciplinary team
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Understanding of the importance of the promotion of health and wellbeing (Making Every Contact Count)
• Ability to develop effective and appropriate relationships with people, their families, carers and colleagues
• Personal Qualities
• Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person centred support in a non-judgemental way
• Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity
• Commitment to reducing health inequalities and proactively working to reach people from all communities
• Able to support people in a way that inspires trust and confidence, motivating others to reach their potential
• Ability to use own initiative, discretion and sensitivity
• Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk when working with individuals
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Knowledge of when to seek advice and refer to a registered care professional
• Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure
• Ability to organise, plan and prioritise on own initiative, including when under pressure and meeting deadlines
• Knowledge of and ability to work to policies and procedures, including confidentiality, safeguarding, lone working, information governance and health and safety
• Willingness to work flexible hours when required to meet work demands
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check

Desirable

• Ability to take part in reflective practice and clinical supervision activities
• Understanding of the wider determinants of health, including social, economic and environmental factors and their impact on communities
• Knowledge of IT systems including ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports
• EMIS/SystmOne/Vision user skills
• Ability to support, supervise, assess and act as a role model to nursing associate students, other learners and healthcare support workers as required within the clinical setting

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered nursing associate and on the NMC register
• Meets the specific qualification and training requirements as specified in the Nursing Midwifery Standards of proficiency by having undertaken and completed the two-year Foundation Degree delivered by a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved provider
• Is registered with the NMC and revalidation is undertaken in line with NMC requirements

Experience

Essential

• Evidence of time management skills and ability to prioritise
• Ability to communicate with members of the public and health and care providers
• Understand the importance of following procedures and treatment plans
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Intermediate IT skills
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Ability to communicate effectively (written, verbal and non-verbal communication) with patients/relatives and carers and all members of the multi -disciplinary team
• Ability to develop effective and appropriate relationships with people, their families, carers and colleagues
• Insight into how to evaluate own strengths and development needs, seeking advice where appropriate

Desirable

• Experience of working in a general practice environment
• Ability to work effectively as a team player under appropriate supervision and as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Understanding of the scope of the role of the nursing associate in the context of the nursing and interdisciplinary team and the organisation and how the role may contribute to service development
• Experience of providing and receiving complex, sensitive information
• Experience of working in teams under appropriate supervision as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Chaperone procedure

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).