Advanced Nurse Practitioner/Advanced Clinical Practitioner

Job responsibilities

• Assess patients presenting with acute illness or for review of chronic disease conditions

• Undertake home visits for acute illness or chronic disease management

• Diagnose, plan, implement and evaluate treatment/interventions and care for patients presenting with an undifferentiated diagnosis

• Clinically examine and assess patient needs from a physiological and psychological perspective, and plan clinical care accordingly

• Assess, diagnosis, plan, implement and evaluate interventions/treatments for patients with complex needs

• Proactively identify, diagnose and manage treatment plans for patients at risk of developing a long-term condition (as appropriate)

• Diagnose and manage both acute and chronic conditions, integrating both drug- and nondrug-based treatment methods into a management plan

• Prescribe and review medication for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to patient needs and in accordance with evidence-based practice and national and practice protocols and formularies

• Work with patients and their carers in order to support compliance with and 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 healthy lifestyles, and apply principles of self-care

• Assess, identify and refer patients presenting with mental health needs in accordance with the NSF for Mental Health

• Undertake minor surgery as appropriate to competence

• Utilise and demonstrate sensitive communication styles, to ensure patients are fully informed and consent to treatment

• Communicate with and support patients who are 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

• Maintain effective communication within DDHF and with external stakeholders

• Attend and contribute to team meetings

• Undertake mentorship for more junior staff, assessing competence against set standards

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered first level nurse
• Relevant nursing/health degree
• Mentor/teaching qualification
• Non-medical independent nurse prescriber
• Msc in Advanced Clinical Practitioner or equivalent OR must be willing to work towards

Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Advanced clinical skills
• Management of patients with long-term conditions
• Management of patients with complex needs
• Clinical examination protocols and procedures
• Boundaries of own role and other roles in a nurse-led service
• NSF, NICE guidelines
• Local and national health policy and wider health economy
• Clinical governance issues in primary care
• Patient group directions (PGDs) and associated policy usage
• Clinical leadership skills
• Communication skills, both written and verbal
• Communication of difficult messages to patients and families
• Negotiation and conflict management skills
• Change management
• Teaching and mentorship
• clinical setting Resource management

Desirable

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

Experience

Essential

• Minimum 2 years post registration experience
• At least 2 years recent primary and community nursing experience
• Nurse-led management of minor illness, minor ailments and injuries
• Nurse-led triage including telephone triage
• Partake in clinical audit

Desirable

• Project management
• Working with community development initiatives
• Health-needs assessment
• Home visit assessment of patients
• Community nursing specialist qualification
• Leadership in quality initiatives such as clinical benchmarking
• Clinical supervision training and experience

Other

Essential

• Full UK driving Licence
• Willingness to travel throughout the Durham Dales area
• Prepared to work out of hours on a staff rota
• Self-directed practitioner
• Highly motivated
• Enthusiastic

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).