Job responsibilities
Role Responsibilities:
Assist in and perform tasks related to patient care as directed by the GPs.
These tasks include:
· Wound and ulcer care
· Compression bandaging
· Doppler studies
· Measuring for compression stockings
· Minor injury management, follow up and appropriate referral
· Removal of sutures/ staples
· Cervical smears
· Removal of coils and coil checks
· Family Planning: sexual health advice, pill checks, first contraception, administration of contraceptive injections.
· Blood pressure monitoring, including set up of 24 hour monitoring.
· 12 lead ECG, including set up of 24 hour ECG.
· Venepuncture
· Urinalysis
· Ear irrigation
· Administration of injectable medication under PGD or PSD
· Routine immunisations (adult and paediatric)
· Anticoagulation monitoring (Warfarin)
· Assisting GPs with minor surgery procedures, coil insertion and implant insertion/ removal.
· Requesting relevant pathology tests. i.e.: urine culture, swabs, histology and bloods for chronic disease monitoring.
· Assist in annual flu clinics- paediatric and adult
· Undertaking Spirometry, COPD and Asthma reviews
· Management of Diabetic patients, including annual reviews, follow up and recall, monitoring oral diabetic medications and initiation of insulin and non-insulin Injectables.
This list is not exhaustive and other duties may be required
In addition, the practice nurse will:
· Maintain and clean equipment used by nurses and GPs
· Undertake daily dusting and tidying of the treatment room.
· Order stock from KPCA
· Order immunisations as required from Immform
· Participate in administrative systems in the practice. i.e.: QOF
· Maintain accurate records
· Advise the GP of potential problems or errors within the range of assigned tasks.
· Attend and participate in practice meetings and clinical governance when required
· Maintain competence by attending regular updates or online training as required.
Special Requirements of the Post:
- An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality.
- Produce accurate, contemporaneous & complete records of patient consultation, consistent with legislation, policies & procedures
- Prioritise, organise & manage own workload in a manner that maintains and promotes quality
- Ability to use own judgment, resourcefulness and common sense.
- A commitment to maintain a high professional standard of nursing care and keep up to date with all aspects of nursing care relevant to the post.
- A commitment to ensure all Health and Safety requirements and Infection Control measures are met and to report any problems to the practice manager
- A commitment to the effective use of practice and NHS resources.
- An awareness of own limitations and experience.
- Recognise & work within own competence & professional code of conduct as regulated by the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC)
- To have a written professional development plan and to maintain an up to date portfolio which meets the requirements of registration with the UKCC
- Cooperate with annual appraisal meetings and revalidation.
- Membership of the RCN
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.
- Make effective use of learning opportunities within & outside of the work place.
Team Working:
- Understand own role & scope within the organisation & identify how this may develop over time
- Work as an effective & responsible team member, supporting others & exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working
- Delegate clearly and appropriately, adopting the principles of safe practice and assessment of competence of those taking on delegated duties
- Ensure clear understanding and utilisation of referral mechanisms within the practice
- Accept delegation from other nurses, prioritise own work load & ensure time- management strategies are embedded in own practice
- Work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction & policies impacting upon care delivery, participate in team activities that create opportunities to improve patient care
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 people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly.
Utilising Information:
- Use technology as an aid to management in planning, implementation & monitoring, presenting & communicating information
- Review & process data using accurate read codes about patients in order to ensure easy & accurate retrieval for monitoring and audit processes
- Manage information searches using the internet and local library databases, for example, the retrieval of relevant information for patients on their condition
- Understand own and others responsibility to the individual organisation regarding the Freedom of Information Act
- Collate, analyse & present clinical data & information to the team.
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 people’s 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.
The post-holder will:
- Apply practice policies, standards and guidance including confidentiality
- Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
- Participate in audit where appropriate.