Job responsibilities
The nursing team
Together with the other nurse practitioner become an active and integral part of the nursing service.
To help develop and maintain practice policies and protocols for all nursing activities.
Ensure the practice manager is informed of any matters arising or problems/potential problems.
To help work towards the QOF targets ensuring that the highest level of points are achieved. This will involve working closely with all members of the primary health care team.
Where appropriate to work with the PCN nursing team across all 3 practices.
Diagnosing and treating patients presenting with minor illness
To see patients with undiagnosed, undifferentiated illness.
Ensure clinical practice is safe and effective and remains within boundaries of competence and to acknowledge limitations.
Advise patients on general health care and management of current illness with referral to other members of the primary and secondary health care team as necessary.
Prescribe treatment, order tests, and make referrals.
To see patients at home if required.
To see extra patients if required
To triage patients if required.
Providing assessment, screening treatment services and health education advice:
- In addition to the usual working pattern, you may be called upon to support the nursing team and perform practice nurse duties. This might include contraceptive checks and advice, simple dressings, blood pressure and chronic disease assessment, female pelvic examinations, swabs, and assisting in minor procedures in the treatment room etc. This is not an exhaustive list and other duties may be required.
Pathological specimens and investigatory procedures
Undertake the collection of pathological specimens including bloods, urine samples and swabs.
Administration and professional responsibilities
Participate in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the practice team.
Ensure accurate and legible notes of all consultations and treatments are recorded in the patients notes.
Ensure the clinical computer system is kept up to date with accurate details recorded and amended.
Ensure that proactive and opportunistic steps are taken in order to ensure that all patients are assessed for the QoF targets and that all nursing team is aware of these targets (this should be completed on an ongoing basis as targets do change).
Ensure appropriate data entry is undertaken to ensure the maximum QOF points can be achieved.
Ensure accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patient health care and registration with the practice.
Ensure collection and maintenance of statistical information required for regular and ad hoc reports and audit.
Taking a lead on areas of interest,
Training and personal development
Training requirements will be monitored by yearly appraisal and will be in accordance with practice requirements. Personal development will be encouraged and supported by the Practice. It is the individuals responsibility to remain up to date with recent developments.
Together with the other nurse practitioner develop and maintain an in-house nurse-training programme reporting to the practice manager.
Maintain continued education by attendance at courses and study days as deemed useful or necessary for professional development as appropriate to the role undertaken within the practice and with prior agreement from the practice manager.
If it is necessary to expand the role to include additional responsibilities, full training will be given.
Develop and maintain a personal learning or reflective plan.
Clinical supervision.
Management
To promote a working environment with the support of the partners that supports learning and shared values for patient care.
To provide clinical mentorship to the practice nursing team.
To develop and maintain practice policies and protocols for all nursing duties.
To liaise with the infection control nurse in the practice to ensure all staff are aware of current procedures.
Ensure that the practice manager is informed of any matters arising or problems/potential problems.
Together with the other nurse practitioner organise nurse meetings.
Liaison
As well as the nursing team there is a need to work closely with reception and administrative team to ensure the smooth running of the practice, reporting any problems encountered to the relevant person and ensuring everyone is aware of the different roles within the nursing team.
To establish and maintain good liaison with other surgeries and agencies including secondary care providers.
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, to 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.
Reporting potential risks identified.
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 recognizes 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.
Personal/Professional Development
The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment, such training 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.
Revalidate via Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), 3 yearly, in line with NMC guidelines to maintain individual registration and supply proof of up to date registration and indemnity to the partners.
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.
Proactively identify opportunities to increase the practices performance towards QOF.
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.
Communication
The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:
Communicate effectively with other team members
Communicate effectively with patients and carers
Recognize 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 or when requested.