Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

The following are the core responsibilities of the Practice Nurse. There may be, onoccasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors suchas workload and staffing levels:

a. To assess the needs of patients ensuring the provision of healthcare is appropriate, incorporating evidence-based practice

b. To develop, implement and embed health promotion and wellbeing programmes

c. To implement and evaluate individual treatment plans for chronic disease patients that promote health and wellbeing

d. To identify, manage and support patients at risk of developing long-term conditions, preventing adverse effects to patients health

e. As required, to provide routine nursing care to patients in accordance with clinical based evidence, NICE and the NSF

f. Provide wound care to patients

g. To review patient medications to enhance compliance

h. To co-ordinate the provision of travel medicine services

i. To maintain accurate clinical records in conjunction with extant legislation

j. To develop, implement, embed and participate in well woman clinics

k. To develop, implement, embed and participate in well man clinics

l. To ensure compliance with the practice chaperone policy

m. To prioritise health issues and intervene appropriately

n. To support the team in dealing with clinical emergencies

o. To recognise, assess and refer patients presenting with mental health needs

p. To implement vaccination programmes for adults and children

q. To support patients in the use of their prescribed medicines or over-the-counter medicines (within own scope of practice)

r. To liaise with external services/agencies to ensure the patient is supported appropriately (vulnerable patients etc.)

s. To understand practice and local policies for substance abuse and addictive behaviour, referring patients appropriately

t. To deliver opportunistic health promotion where appropriate

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a primary care environment
• 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)
• Family planning qualification

Clinical knowledge and skills

Essential

• Clinical knowledge in the following:
• Wound care/removal of sutures and staples
• ECGs
• Venepuncture
• New patient medicals
• Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
• Womens health (cervical cytology, contraception, etc.)
• Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
• Travel medicine
• Chronic disease management awareness for:
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• CHD
• Asthma
• Spirometry
• Understanding the importance of evidence-based practice
• Understand the requirement for PGDs and associated policy
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to GPs
• Chaperone procedure
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies

Desirable

• Broad knowledge of clinical governance
• Knowledge of public health issues in the local area
• Awareness of issues within the wider health arena

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).