Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

JOB PURPOSE

The Practice Nurse will work as part of the primary healthcare team providing personal medical services to the patients of the practice.

SCOPE OF JOB

Working within a nursing team to provide excellent and safe patient care.

Will deliver care within the boundaries of their role, focusing upon supporting patients to be healthy, monitoring long term conditions, health promotion and screening activities.

Will work collaboratively with the general practice team to meet the needs of patients, supporting the delivery of policy and procedures.

MAIN CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES OF THE ROLE

To offer a wide range of nursing care provision to patients.

Opportunity to develop specialist areas of interest.

Working as part of a team.

Working in a rapidly changing environment.

COMMUNICATIONS AND WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

Utilise and demonstrate sensitive communication styles to ensure patients are fully informed and consent to treatment.

Communicate effectively with patients and carers, recognising the need for alternative methods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding, cultural background and preferred ways of communicating.

Utilise communication skills to support patients to adhere to prescribed treatment regimens.

Act as an advocate when representing patients and colleagues viewpoints to others.

Need to have the ability to work with all levels of staff as part of a diverse team.

The post holder needs to show integrity, loyalty, courtesy and respect for patients, and protection of their confidentiality at all times.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

The applicant must be a qualified nurse.

Experience in a primary care setting is preferable but not essential.

They must be able to work in a changing environment.

Willingness to undertake training as required to meet patient needs.

MAJOR DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

N.B It is recognised that additional training will be required for some of the tasks listed. Applicants to the post are not expected to be proficient in all tasks listed.

a) Assist in and perform routine tasks related to patient care as directed by Lead Nurse and GPs.

b) Cervical cytology.

c) Wound care and ulcer care

d) Removal of sutures.

e) Urinalysis.

f) ECGs.

g) Peak Flow Readings/Spirometry.

h) Venepuncture.

i) Hypertension management.

j) Ear irrigation.

k) Long term conditions support and management

l) Chaperoning and assisting patients where appropriate who are being examined by another clinician.

m) Assisting GPs with minor surgery and coil fittings.

n) Requesting pathology tests, for example urine culture, swabs.

o) Following agreed clinical protocols with referral to the Lead Nurse or GPs as appropriate.

p) Extended hours, on a rotational basis.

q) Prioritise health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care.

r) Deliver opportunistic health promotion.

s) Provide information and advice on prescribed or over-the-counter medication, on medication regimens, side effects and interactions as appropriate and within your level of competency.

t) Support patients to adopt health promotion strategies that promote patients to live healthily, and encourage principles of self-care.

u) Assess and care for patients presenting with minor injuries or wounds.

v) Support and advise women requesting information relating to family planning needs appropriate to your level of training.

w) Support and manage health needs of women presenting for cervical cytology consultations, when appropriate training has been undertaken

x) Implement and participate in vaccination and immunisation programmes for both adults and children.

y) Actively participate in all aspects of infection prevention and control and champion this within the practice.

z) Ensure the cold chain process is maintained and records are complete

Other tasks may include:

a) Maintaining and cleaning equipment used by the nurses and GPs.

b) Maintaining GP and nurses rooms, stocking and rotating items as required.

c) Maintain general tidiness and cleanliness of nurses and treatment rooms.

d) Ordering of health promotion literature.

e) Participation in administrative systems in the practice.

f) At all times there will be a need to maintain accurate records.

g) A duty to advise the Lead Nurse of potential problems or errors within the range of assigned tasks.

h) Attend and participate in any practice meetings when required.

i) Other delegated duties appropriate to the post.

j) On occasion there may be a requirement to undertake home visits.

SPECIAL REQUIREMENTS OF THE POST

An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality.

Ability to use own judgement, 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 Prevention and Control measures are met and reported appropriately.

A commitment to the effective use of practice and NHS resources.

An awareness of own limitations and experience.

To work only in accordance with the UKCC Code of Conduct and within the Scope of Professional Practice.

Cooperate with annual appraisal meetings and training where appropriate.

To maintain evidence folder for 3 yearly NMC revalidation.

Keep up to date with all mandatory training.

Understand own role and scope in the organisation and identify how this may develop over time.

Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and being receptive to change.

Ensure clear understanding and utilisation of referral mechanisms within the practice.

Accept delegation from other nurses, prioritise own workload and ensure effective time management strategies are embedded in own practice.

Work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery.

Participate in team activities that create opportunities to improve patient care.

Any other duties requested by the Lead Nurse, Practice Manager.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a primary care environment
• Experience of chronic disease management
• Experience of working autonomously
• Experience of infection prevention and control measures

Desirable

• Experience of working as a practice nurse or community nurse
• Experience of managing elderly and housebound patients
• Experience of quality initiatives, i.e., benchmarking

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered Nurse (Nursing and Midwifery Council)

Desirable

• Mentor or teaching qualification
• Post graduate diploma or degree (Chronic Disease Management)
• Nurse prescriber
• Family planning qualification

Skills

Essential

• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• 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

Clinical Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• ECGs
• Venepuncture
• Understanding the importance of evidence-based practice
• Understand the requirement for PGDs and associated policy
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Chaperone procedure
• Understand the requirement for PGDs and associated policy
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Chaperone procedure

Desirable

• Wound care/removal of sutures and staples
• Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
• Womens health (cervical cytology, contraception, etc.)
• Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
• Chronic disease management
• Travel medicine
• Spirometry

Personal Qualities and Other

Essential

• Polite and confident
• Flexible and co-operative
• High levels of integrity and loyalty
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Effectively able to communicate and understand the needs of the patient
• Commitment to ongoing professional development
• Ability to work under pressure/in stressful situations
• Flexibility to work outside of core office hours
• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
• Meet the requirements and produce evidence for nurse revalidation
• Evidence of continuing professional development (CPD) commensurate with the role of a Practice Nurse

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).