Job responsibilities
Main Responsibilities
Assist clinicians in emergency management of patients.
Assistance at clinics as required, ensuring patient care by chaperoning.
Attend clinical supervision sessions and any other appropriate meetings.
Work to contribute new ideas to improve patient care.
Enable patients to access appropriate professionals in the practice team.
Maintain the Clinical asset register, making sure to accurately log new
equipment and remove faulty equipment.
Ensure stock items are ordered, safely stored, rotated, and provided in
Clinical Areas. This includes equipment, and oxygen.
Maintain clinical equipment efficiently and ensure servicing/calibration
is undertaken, updating the calibration records as necessary.
Prepare and maintain environments and equipment before, during and after
patient care in line with infection, prevention and control guidance.
Assist with minor operations, this includes setting up the clinic,
assisting the clinician, sending samples and document management.
Deliver Dermascope Clinics as required (gateway requirement). This
includes seeing and assessing patients independently and taking responsibility
for onward referrals.
Support with the long-term conditions register, including the running of
clinics for example Coronary Heart Disease (CHD), Hypertension, Stroke and
Mental Health.
Keep up to date with any changes or advances within the HCA profession,
completing annual competency reviews and necessary training.
Accurately input and extract information onto/from the Practice clinical
system when required.
Maintain patient records in accordance with national guidelines.
Work to recognise changes in a patients condition and take appropriate
action.
Check the practice fridges daily, recording the temperature to maintain
the cold chain. Report any issues where relevant.
On completion and sign off of a relevant risk assessment and training fill
the liquid nitrogen flask daily, reporting any issues when relevant.
Record patient information clearly, concisely and adhering to national
and local guidance.
Communicate effectively, sensitively, and compassionately with
colleagues, patients and carers, recognising their needs for alternative
methods of communication.
Liaise with and feedback effectively to the nursing team and other
members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).
Contribute to the education of students from various health and social
care professions and support other staff to gain new skills and knowledge.
Under the direction and supervision of a Practice Nurse, undertake ear
syringing (gateway requirement).
Undertake phlebotomy as and when required.
Wound Management
Undertake suture and clip removal (gateway requirement).
Undertake basic wound dressing and complex wound dressing following
adequate training (gateway requirement).
Screening
Carry out holistic screening and assessment using national assessment
tools.
Recognise changes in the patient's observation which must be reported and
acted on.
Undertake ECG and BP testing (gateway requirement).
Undertake NHS Health checks (gateway requirement).
Undertake screening including BP checks, height, weight, BMI, urine
testing, pulse oximeter, glucose monitoring.
Undertake Dementia assessments (gateway requirement).
Conduct annual diabetes checks, to include foot checks BP, weight, height
and lifestyle advice, referring to required healthcare professional where
appropriate (gateway requirement).
Recognise simple blood test results (blood glucose, BP), highlighting any
abnormal results to the relevant clinical and document actions taken.
Support the Lead Nurse with the receiving and inputting of results,
arranging any required follow up appointments as per practice policy.
Support the nursing team with a range of tasks including venepuncture and
specimen collection.
Health Promotion
Appreciate and promote the principles of 'Healthy Living'.
Measure and record patients BMI.
Offer lifestyle advice on smoking and exercise and refer as appropriate.
Provide nutritional advice on weight management, coronary heart disease
(CHD) and diabetes.
Provide relevant health promotion literature and advice to patients and
carers.
Understand a patients motivation to adapt their lifestyle and assess
required support.
Vaccinations
and Immunisations (gateway requirement)
Administer injections under an individualised prescription or Patient
specific directive.
Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs.
Deliver Flu vaccinations under indirect supervision (registered nurse
must be on site).
Administer B12 injections under indirect supervision (registered nurse
must be on site).
Deliver Pneumonia vaccinations under indirect supervision (registered
nurse must be on site).
Within the community carry out finger prick INR tests, confirming results
and Warfarin dosage required with Practice Nurse and advising patient of
required dosage.
Infection Control
Support the Infection, Prevention and Control lead
through the following measures:
Follow procedures aimed at reducing the risk of passing on the organisms
that can cause infections.
Demonstrate a duty of care in following best practice in adherence to
guidelines which is a fundamental requirement in underpinning the management of
Infection, Prevention and Control.
Apply infection control measures within the practice according to local
and national guidelines. This includes:
o
Dealing with blood and body
fluid spillages
o
Decontamination of
instruments and clinical equipment
o
Reporting and treatment of
sharps injuries
o
Segregation and disposal of
waste materials
o
The collection and handling
of laboratory specimens
o
Universal hand hygiene
precautions
Monitor and change sharps bins within the practice when requested.
Assist patients and colleagues in adopting recommended infection control
measures and health and safety measures.
Effective cleaning and sterilisation of clinical equipment and working
surfaces, preparing treatment/consulting rooms prior to use.
