PCN Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

Clinical practice

• Assess, plan, develop, implement and evaluate treatment programmes that promote health and well-being
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate individual treatment plans for patients with a known long-term condition
• Proactively identify, diagnose and manage treatment plans for patients at risk of developing a long-term condition as appropriate
• Work with other health care professionals to diagnose, monitor, manage and treat long-term conditions, including non-drug-based treatment methods using a management plan, and in line with national and local policies and practice needs
• Review medication for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to patient needs and in accordance with evidence-based practice and national and practice protocols
• Work with patients in order to support adherence to prescribed treatments
• Provide information and advice on prescribed or over-the-counter medication on medication regimens, side-effects and interactions
• Prioritise health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care
• Support patients to adopt health promotion strategies that promote patients to live healthily, and apply principles of self-care
• Support and manage health needs of women presenting for family planning and cervical cytology consultations
• Recognise, assess and refer patients presenting with mental health needs in accordance with the NSF for Mental Health
• Implement and participate in vaccination and immunisation programmes for both adults and children
• Advise, support and administer vaccinations where appropriate for patients travelling abroad
• Promote and deliver evidence-based care for patients presenting with aural conditions
• Meet the needs of patients presenting for opportunistic wound care

• Demonstrate sensitive communication styles to ensure patients are fully informed and consent to treatment
• Communicate with and support patients receiving bad news
• 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
• Anticipate barriers to communication and take action to improve communication
• Estimate and maintain effective communication with individuals and groups within the practice environment and with external stakeholders
• Act as an advocate when representing patients and colleagues

• Recognise and work within own competence and professional code of conduct as regulated by the NMC
• Produce accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient consultation, consistent with legislation, policies and procedures
• Prioritise, organise and manage own workload in a manner that maintains and promotes quality
• Deliver care according to NSF, NICE guidelines and evidence-based care
• Assess effectiveness of care delivery through self and peer review, benchmarking and formal evaluation
• Participate in the maintenance of quality governance systems and processes across the practices
• Utilise the audit cycle as a means of evaluating the quality of the work of self and the team, implementing improvements where required
• Collaborate on improving the quality of health care in partnership with other clinical teams, responding to local and national policies and initiatives as appropriate
• Evaluate the patients response to health care provision and the effectiveness of care
• Support and participate in shared learning across the practice and wider organisation
• Participate in the management and review of patient complaints, and identify learning from clinical incidents and near-miss events using a structured framework (eg root-cause analysis)
• Assess the impact of policy implementation on care delivery
• Participate in the performance monitoring review of the team, providing feedback as appropriate
• Understand and apply legal policy that supports the identification of vulnerable and abused children and adults, being aware of statutory child/vulnerable adult health procedure and local guidance
• Work within policies regarding family violence, vulnerable adults, substance abuse and addictive behaviour, and refer as appropriate

• Take responsibility for own development learning and performance including participating in clinical supervision and acting as a positive role model
• Support the development of others in order to maximise potential
• Actively promote the workplace as a learning environment, encouraging everyone to learn from each other and from external good practice
• Participate in planning and implementing changes within the area of care and responsibility
• Contribute and participate in the development of local guidelines, protocols and standards
• Participate in the planning and engagement of practice-based commissioning or similar initiatives
• Ensure awareness of sources of support and guidance (eg PALS), and provide information in an acceptable format to all patients, recognising any difficulties and referring where appropriate

• Understand own role and scope, and identify how this may develop over time
• Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working
• Delegate clearly and appropriately, adopting the principles of safe practice and assessing competence
• Ensure clear referral mechanisms are in place to meet patient need
• Prioritise own workload and ensure effective time-management strategies are embedded within the culture of the team
• 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
• Participate in and support local projects as agreed with the practice management team

• Manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients
• Monitor work areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards and conform to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines
• Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs
• Oversee the monitoring, stock control and documentation of controlled drug usage according to legal requirements
• Support members of the nursing team to undertake mandatory and statutory training requirements
• Apply infection-control measures within the practice according to local and national guidelines
• Apply policies that reduce environmental health risks, are culturally sensitive and increase access to health care for all
• Participate in the local implementation strategies that are aligned to the values and culture of general practice

• Use technology as an aid to management in planning, implementation and monitoring, presenting and communicating information
• Review and process data using accurate Read codes to ensure easy and 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 the responsibility of self and others regarding the Freedom of Information Act
• Collate, analyse and present clinical data and information to the team using appropriate charts and/or graphs to enhance care

• Disseminate learning and information gained to other team members in order to share good practice and inform others about current and future developments
• Assess own learning needs and undertake learning as appropriate
• Make effective use of learning opportunities within and outside the workplace, evaluating their effectiveness and feeding back relevant information
• Provide an educational role to patients, carers, families and colleagues in an environment that facilitates learning

• Identify patterns of discrimination, take action to overcome this, and promote diversity and quality of opportunity
• Enable others to promote equality and diversity in a non-discriminatory culture
• Support people who need assistance in exercising their rights
• Monitor and evaluate adherence to local chaperoning policies
• Act as a role model in the observance of equality and diversity good practice
• Accept the rights of individuals to choose their care providers, participate in care and refuse care
• Assist patients from marginalised groups to access quality care

Other

Essential

• Self-directed practitioner
• Highly motivated
• Flexibility
• Enthusiasm
• Team player
• Ability to work across boundaries

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 1 years post registration experience
• At least 2 years recent primary and community nursing
• experience
• Experience of nurse-led management of long-term
• conditions
• Experience of implementing protocols and clinical guidelines
• Experience of quality initiatives such as clinical benchmarking
• Audit experience

Desirable

• Experience of working in a GP practice
• Experience of working in Primary Care
• Experience of working across multiple sites

Skills

Essential

• Clinical leadership skills
• Clinical skills cervical cytology, immunisation and vaccination, ear care, minor surgery
• Change-management skills and ability to support patients to change lifestyle
• Communication skills, both written and verbal
• Ability to communicate difficult messages to patients and families
• Negotiation and conflictmanagement skills
• Ability to provide teaching and mentorship in a clinical setting
• IT skills

Desirable

• Worked on System 1

Knowledge

Essential

• Knowledge of management of patients with long-term
• conditions
• Knowledge of accountability of own role and other roles in a nurse-led service
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies
• Knowledge of local and national health policy
• Wider health economy awareness
• Knowledge of clinical governance issues in primary
• care
• Knowledge of patient group directions and associated policy

Desirable

• Knowledge of public health issues
• Ability to identify determinants on health in the local area
• Knowledge of public health issues in the area

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered first level nurse
• Community nursing specialist qualification or equivalent
• Relevant nursing or health degree.

Desirable

• Clinical supervision training and experience
• Independent or supplementary nurse prescribing qualification

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).