Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

Clinical

• Assist in and perform routine tasks related to patient care as directed by Lead Nurse and GPs. Advising and escalating any potential problems, issues or errors in a timely manner.
• Undertake and oversee chronic disease management or specialist GP services including monitoring progress and response to treatment, identifying where changes to medication may be necessary and seeking senior support to implement, processing referrals where required, working to reduce unnecessary hospital admissions, and promoting the preventative aspects of nursing practice. Chronic diseases, specifically Diabetes but are not limited to:

o Asthma

o Anticoagulation Clinic

o COPD

Once trained and competent, work within your scope of practice to undertake womens health management including but not limited to;

o Cervical Cytology

o Contraception including reviews, depo injection and pill checks

• Work to recognise changes in a patients condition and take appropriate action.
• Undertake wound and ulcer care including suture/clip removal, dressings, and assessment to include doppler studies.
• Implement, monitor, and evaluate a plan of care for wound and ulcer management to be followed by Healthcare Assistants, Nursing Associates and Registered Nurses undergoing training in this area of practice.
• Undertake diagnostics tests including but not limited to:

o Urinalysis.

o Taking swab samples.

o Request pathology tests, for example urine culture.

o ECG and BP testing including 24hr ambulatory blood pressure monitoring.

o Pulse rate and rhythm.

o Venepuncture

o Blood Glucose monitoring.

o Weight management including BMI.

o Height measurement.

o Peak flow readings.

o Spirometry (where ARTP registered)

• Administer adult and child immunisations, vaccinations and injections including travel vaccines, under a recognised legal framework.
• Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs.
• Chaperone patients to their healthcare appointments when requested.
• Assist with minor surgery and invasive procedures when required, this includes but is not limited to:

o Joint injections

o Minor surgical procedures

• Ensure appropriate health promotion literature is available.
• Prepare and maintain environments and equipment before, during and after patient care in line with infection prevention and control guidance.
• Undertake housekeeping duties including, general tidiness and cleanliness of equipment, nursing rooms and treatment rooms ensuring room and equipment logs are kept up to date and available for auditing upon request.
• Attend and participate in any MDT and practice meetings when required.
• Ensure practice fridges are checked daily, temperature recorded, cold chain maintained and reporting any issues where relevant.
• Keep up to date with any changes or advances within the Nursing profession, completing annual competency reviews and necessary training.
• Communicate effectively, sensitively, and compassionately with colleagues, patients, carers recognising needs for alternative methods of communication.
• Liaise and communicate with multi-agency partners and third-party organisations as appropriate, adhering to organisational and national information sharing guidance at all times.

Administration

• Accurately input, update and extract information onto/from the Practice clinical system when required.
• Record patient information clearly and concisely, adhering to national and local guidance.
• Liaise with and feedback effectively to the nursing team and other members of the multi-disciplinary team (MDT).

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 or identified.
• 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.
• Support the Lead Nurse in the completion of relevant Infection, Prevention and Control audits.

Professional Registration

• Work in accordance with Nursing and Midwifery Council Code of Professional Conduct ensuring NMC registration is valid.
• Ensure you comply with requirements for revalidation and maintain the knowledge and skills you need for safe practice.
• Continue professional development (CPD) to supplement existing knowledge to aid further autonomy within the role.
• Disseminate updates in current evidence to all in practice, particularly new learning from study.
• Recognise and work within the limits of your competence and scope of practice.
• Work with the wider multi-disciplinary team to deliver services in line with current best evidence, national and local guidelines.
• Contribute to the development of policies, protocols and guidelines across the organisation, ensuring compliance.
• Work collaboratively within the practice and with professional partners including secondary care, voluntary bodies and multi-agency organisations to streamline care pathways using a patient centred approach.

Safeguarding

• The autonomous nature of this role may expose you to situations and circumstance which others do not see. As such it is your responsibility to ensure that all actual and potential safeguarding concerns are identified and acted upon in accordance with local and national guidance.

Miscellaneous

• Offer and provide clinical supervision to other members of the practice nursing team.
• To mentor, supervise and develop new and existing staff, ensuring participation in required training.
• Support in the training and induction of new and junior members of staff at the practice.
• Actively participate in educational programmes for whole primary health care team, including medical and nursing students and GP registrar, in relation to areas of clinical and practice nursing expertise.

General Duties

• Invicta Health is a learning organisation and committed to improving services for patients and staff. All staff have a duty to identify and report using the Invicta Health reporting system, any incidents, and complaints as they arise. Such occurrences provide potential opportunities for learning.
• To work collaboratively and professionally with colleagues across Invicta Health, building and maintaining relationships.
• To contribute to the development of services, including processes, templates and principles.
• Any other reasonable duties as directed by your line manager.
• Due to the changing nature of Invicta Health, job descriptions will evolve and are therefore subject to periodic review.
• Full terms and conditions of employment will be issued if an offer of employment is made.

Qualifications

Essential

• Good level of education including competent levels of numeracy and literacy.
• BSc Adult Nursing.
• Registered NMC nurse.
• Chronic disease management qualification in Diabetes
• Evidence of continual professional development.
• Chaperone training
• Driving Licence and means of transport.

Desirable

• Cytology screening qualification.
• ARTP registration
• FSHR LARC fitter qualification
• Chronic Disease management in Asthma & COPD

Experience

Essential

• Involvement in implementing and using protocols and clinical guidelines.
• Knowledge of the needs of patients with long term conditions.
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies.
• Aware of the accountability of own role and other roles in a nurse led service.
• Awareness of clinical governance issues in primary care.
• Knowledge of patient group directions and associated policy.
• Good understanding of Infection, Prevention and Control measures.

Desirable

• Experience working in a GP Surgery.
• Ability to identify determinants on health in the local area.
• Knowledge of public health issues in the local area.
• Awareness of local and national health policy.
• Awareness of issues within the wider health economy.

Key skills

Essential

• Confident in offering and providing clinical supervision to other members of the practice nursing team.
• Ability to work independently following verbal or written instruction.
• Good interpersonal and communication skills.
• Negotiation and conflict management skills.
• Effective time management skills.
• Observes good health and safety practices.

Desirable

• Knowledge in clinical systems including EMIS and DOCMAN.

Personal Attributes

Essential

• Calm under pressure.
• Strives for excellence.
• Honest and fair.
• Leads by example.
• Positive can do attitude.

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).