Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

This list of duties and responsibilities, which follows, represents the broad range of tasks which may be required to be undertaken either routinely or periodically. This list is not exhaustive and the role may include additional duties which are not liste here.

Clinical Skills

1) Works independently as a Practice Nurse with long-term condition management and treatment room skills within the scope of professional practice.

2) Undertakes the establishment and running of Long-term condition management clinics including asthma, COPD management, diabetes and chronic heart disease providing specialist nursing care for patients.

3) Manages programmes of care for patients with Long-term conditions by planning, providing and evaluating care under agreed local/national guidelines, protocols and patient group directions.

4) Excellent communication skills through patient consultation and nursing assessment of physical, psychological and social needs.

a) Takes an accurate history, building rapport towards a therapeutic relationship.

b) Assess, plan and implements patient centered plan of care for patients and refer when necessary to other healthcare professionals for further specialised care.

5) Maintains disease registers.

6) Undertake routine assessments in relation to individual’s health and wellbeing and evaluate the outcomes of care.

7) Performs investigations and uses core clinical skill and competence. Initiate treatment including diagnostic investigations.

a) Recognition of abnormal vital signs observing adult respiratory rate and effort, heart rate rhythm and volume, temperature and blood pressures as appropriate.

b) Perform investigative procedures including; Performing ECG’s, Urinalysis, Blood Glucose monitoring, Venepuncture, measuring and interpreting Peak Flow.

8) Demonstrate competence in examination techniques relevant to Long-term conditions clinic e.g. spirometry.

9) Adapts to change within working situation managing unscheduled emergency situations.

a) Basic life support, severe breathing problems, serious cardiovascular problems, collapsed patients and seriously ill patients.

10) Delivers a high standard of care without discrimination to all ages, sexes and ethnic origins of the population through continuum of life.

11) Promote improving the health of the individual through providing advice and education to aid adjustment of lifestyle.

12) Recognise own limitations, seek assistance and refer appropriately.

13) Deliver safe, effective evidence based care and advice to ease patient problems.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working as a Practice Nurse
• Experience of Chronic Disease Management

Desirable

• Experience of working in a Primary Care environment

Qualifications

Essential

• NMC Registered Nurse
• Post Registration Qualifications, Diabetes Management, Asthma

Desirable

• Postgraduate diploma or degree (Primary Care)

Skills & Personal Attributes

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Professional clear, polite manner
• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Good interpersonal skills
• Problem-solving and analytical skills
• Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure
• Experience with audit and able to lead audit programmes
• Experience with clinical risk management
• Professional, polite and confident
• Flexible and cooperative
• Motivated, forward thinker
• Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Ability to work under pressure/in stressful situations
• Able to communicate effectively and understand the needs of the patient
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• Effectively utilises resources
• Punctual and committed to supporting the team

Clinical Skills and Knowledge

Essential

• Wound care/removal of sutures and staples
• ECGs
• Venepuncture
• New patient health checks/Urinalysis/BP/Height/Weight
• Chaperone procedure
• Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
• Travel medicine
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Asthma/COPD
• Spirometry
• CHD
• LES/DES/QoF/QiF/CQC related clinical and administrative work
• Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
• Womens health (Cervical cytology, contraception etc.)
• Understands the importance of evidence-based practice
• Broad knowledge of clinical governance
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Ability to work within own scope of practice and to understand when to refer to GPs
• Knowledge of Infection Prevention Control including Public Health issues in the local area
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies
• Understands the requirement for PGDs, PSDs and associated policy
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Strong IT skills
• Professional clear, polite manner
• Competent in the use of Office and Outlook

Desirable

• Awareness of issues within the wider health arena
• past use of EMIS Web

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).