Nurse Practitioner

Job responsibilities

1. JOB SUMMARY As a Registered Nurse you will operate as a member of the Shropdoc multidisciplinary team and be involved in both speaking to patients directly and liaison with a range of Health Care Professionals to co-ordinate best care pathways for patients including primary, secondary, tertiary and voluntary services. This post has multiple different services which you could be operating as part of these include: Care Coordination Centre the ability to liaise with a variety of Health Care Professionals from a variety of settings and take referrals in a timely, safe, clinical and confidential manner. CCC currently has approximately 45 pathways. CCC Nurses should be adept at finding the optimum pathway for patients, have the ability to gather information and challenge as necessary as an advocate for the patient while being aware of best clinical practice. Oncology Helpline The ability to safely triage Oncology and Haematology patients using the UKONS triage tool and recognize life threatening symptoms, arranging on ward appropriate hospital care or Out of Hours GP if necessary. The ability to safely triage and manage side effects of the many treatments used today in Oncology and Haematology. In Hours Triage Telephone triage, or clinical consultation, to patients who are referred from 111 electronically, pulled from WMAS lists or referred by phone (known as Single Point Access (SPA) calls) and determining best options for the further care of the patient. Integrated Urgent Care (Out of Hours) Triage speaking directly to patients over the phone to perform a triage consultation to determine the best option for further care. You will be working with other health professionals (e.g. GPs, Paramedics, Community Nurses, Nurse Specialists) in our busy central hub to access the most appropriate care for patients through the Out of Hours period. All three roles require the use of critical thinking and advanced decision-making skills to assess and manage patients with a wide range of clinical conditions/illnesses. The post holder will have the relevant clinical experience to work autonomously and as part of a larger team whilst possessing excellent communication and interpersonal skills. They should also be willing to contribute to the continuous improvement, development and delivery of a high quality and professional in and out of hours service. 2. KEY TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES 2.1 Clinical and Professional Responsibilities (We like our staff to be flexible and cross trained wherever possible but not all UCP1 staff will work across all of our clinical services. Points 1-3 below specify services which you may be involved with.) 1. Provide an out of hours triage/clinical assessment service via the telephone for patients needing urgent care; accurately collect clinical information in order to provide advice or refer to the most appropriate service. 2. Provide a Care Co-ordination Centre service, coordinating patient care on behalf of referring GPs and a wide range of other health care professionals (e.g. Advanced Nurse Practitioners, Acute Oncology Nurses, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Hospice Nurses, Community Nurses or Paramedics). Agree the care plan and follow a wide range of pathways whenever available. Liaise with third party agencies to ensure the appropriate care plan is implemented. 3. Provide an advice line for Oncology and Haematology patients, to assess, help and support Oncology patientsspecific needs using the UKONS Triage Tool. You will support patients through the management of their symptoms with advice over the phone whilst recognising of lifethreatening symptoms which may need admission. 4. Build close links and communicate with other local health or social care services/agencies, private and voluntary agencies and signpost and refer patients to these services. 5. Independently assimilate and interpret call information, accessed directly on the IT system or forwarded by Shropdoc Call Handlers, and make professionally autonomous decisions appropriate in a timely and professional manner to the patient or carer. 6. Use the freedom to act in accordance with professional knowledge base as to the best course of action or treatment, avoiding further patient assessment wherever possible and accepting accountability for those decisions. 7. Provide evidence based healthcare advice which contributes to the diagnosis, care or treatment of a range of clinical conditions. 8. Develop, with the patient, a plan for ongoing care with an emphasis on health education, preventative measures and promoting healthy living options; where appropriate act as a patient advocate. 9. Work within the Code of Professional Conduct or Guidelines for relevant professional body e.g. Royal College of Nursing, College of Paramedics, Health and Care Professions Council. 10. Maintain and promote dignity and respect to patients and their carers through communicating effectively and by ensuring that those who are at risk because of cultural, language, disability, age and other protected characteristics and barriers are helped to understand, access and make use of the various services available. 11. Accurately record all patient contact and care related activity utilising the electronic system for all episodes of patient interaction including any adverse events, child protection issues and other notifiable matters. 12. Raise adult and child safeguarding and other notifiable concerns through the appropriate policies, procedures and protocols keeping the adult or child at potential risk at the heart of everything which is done. 13. Work collaboratively with other health care professionals and disciplines which will include communicating effectively with team members to ensure a safe and effective handover when required. 14. Keep Professional Registration and Continuous Professional Development up-to-date and undertake formal and informal education in order to reinforce/develop skills used in all types of telephone consultations; attend mandatory training and ongoing in-house training/education as identified by Shropdoc. 15. Receive regular and structured supervision and mentorship through a robust clinical supervision framework. 2.2 Service Improvement, Development and Implementation 1. Participate in the development and continuous improvement of an integrated unscheduled primary care service that operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. 2. Assist in the development of protocols and standards of care to meet identified health needs. 3. Contribute positively to the development of the health care team based within Shropdoc. 4. Ensure the maintenance of clinical and professional standards in all areas of work and share in the efficient running of the services provided. 5. Responsible for the security and care of equipment used. 6. Contribute to research and audit processes and assist as required with service performance reviews. 7. Participate in appropriate projects, as they arise, in agreement with the management team. 8. Comply with responsibilities under Statutory Health and Safety and Fire Regulations and internal complaints procedures in accordance with organisational guidelines. 9. Act as a positive representative of and an ambassador for the organisation. 10. Report any adverse clinical incident, in line with the Shropdocs clinical incident policy, making recommendations where appropriate to improve clinical practice within the team.

Qualifications

Essential

• Education and qualifications:
• Professional registration with either the HCPC or RGN.
• Evidence of continuing post registration development.
• Experience:
• Minimum of 10 years Post Registration Experience.
• Experience of multi-disciplinary working.
• Working and assessing undifferentiated conditions either by telephone or face to face symptoms/presentations to form a clinical diagnosis and
• forming treatment strategies.
• Forming clinical management plans in conjunction with a patient, relatives, and other HCPs.
• To keep updated and be able to research new treatments / drugs.
• Skills/Abilities:
• Excellent communication, reasoning and interpersonal skills including emotional intelligence in order to deal effectively with complex and sensitive patient information, distressed or aggressive
• patients, or those with an impaired level of understanding.
• Ability to liaise and communicate effectively with all
• members of the multi-disciplinary team and other services.
• Confidence and knowledge to Challenge GPs / Clinicians regarding referrals.
• Ability to perform holistic assessment, critically analyse complex patient information or situations.
• Computer literate -Able to use various forms of media and IT systems. Ability to type patient notes when on the phone.
• Ability to critically analyse patient information or
• situations and make clinical judgements and decisions as to
• the best course of action.
• Ability to act independently within occupational guidelines.
• Skilled in clinical history taking and accurate recording of clinical notes.
• Confidently signpost patients and GPs.
• Skilled in dealing with patients with multiple comorbidities.
• Skilled in prioritising Patient care.
• Knowledge:
• Broad understanding of managing patients in a primary care or emergency setting.
• Clear understanding of professional responsibility and accountability.
• Practical knowledge across a wide range of clinical conditions.
• Knowledge of current clinical evidence-based practice.
• Understanding of equality and diversity issues in a healthcare
• delivery setting.
• Wide experience in different specialities.
• Other attributes:
• A kind and compassionate Nurse who treats Patients with respect and upholds their dignity as in NMC Code 1.1
• Excellent communication, listening and interpersonal
• skills.
• Ability to concentrate for prolonged periods of time.
• Ability to use own initiative and prioritise work but also be an
• enthusiastic team player.
• Confident decision maker.
• Systematic approach to problem solving
• Other general requirements:
• Ability to attend work on a regular basis and meet the requirements of the role with any reasonable adjustments which have been notified and
• arrangements made under the Equality Act.
• Flexibility in working in a rostered environment including night shifts, bank holidays and weekend working.

Desirable

• Please refer to the Person Specification PDF included.

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).