Job responsibilities
Key Responsibilities
A.Clinical
- Assist in and perform routine tasks related to patient care as indicated by patient need including:
- Cytology
- Wound care / ulcer care/Doppler
- Removal of Sutures/ clips
- New Patient Medicals/Urinalysis
- Travel Clinic
- Asthma and COPD Management
- Venepuncture
- Hypertension Management / 24 hour ambulatory BP
- Diabetes Management
- Ear syringing
- Routine immunizations/Childhood immunisations
- Chaperoning and assisting patients where appropriate who are being examined by another clinician
- Requesting pathology tests, for example urine culture, swabs
- Following agreed clinical protocols.
- Maintaining and cleaning equipment used by the nurses and GPs and upholding the standards required for Infection prevention and control.
- Vaccine fridge temperature monitoring
- Maintaining GP and Nurses rooms, stocking and rotating items as required
- Maintain general tidiness and cleanliness of nurses and treatment rooms
- Supervision of the HCAs
- Ordering of Health Promotion Literature
- Ordering of vaccinations to maintain stock levels if required
- Participation in administrative systems in the practice
- Maintain accurate records
- advise other team members of potential problems or errors within the range of assigned tasks
- Attend and participate in any practice / clinical meetings monthly.
- On occasion there may be a requirement to undertake home visits
- Support and manage the QoF programmes and income generation for the practice relevant to role
- Any other delegated duties appropriate to the post
B.Communication
- 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
- Anticipate barriers to communication and take action to improve communication
- Maintain effective communication within the practice environment and with external stakeholders
- Regularly engage with Sussex Primary Care Head of Nursing
- Act as an advocate for patients and colleagues
- Ensure awareness of sources of support and guidance (e.g. PALS) and provide information in an acceptable format to all patients, recognising any difficulties and referring where appropriate
C.Delivering a quality service
- Recognise and work within own competence and professional code of conduct as regulated by the NMC
- Produce accurate, contemporaneous and complete records of patient consultation, consistent
- Prioritise, organise and manage own workload in a manner that maintains and promotes quality
- Deliver care according to NSF, NICE guidelines and evidence-based care
- Assess effectiveness of care delivery through self and peer review, bench-marking and formal evaluation
- Initiate and participate in the maintenance of quality governance systems and processes across the organisation and its activities
- Utilise the audit cycle as a means of evaluating the quality of the work of self and the team, implementing improvements where required
- In partnership with other clinical teams, collaborate on improving the quality of health care responding to local and national policies and initiatives as appropriate
- Evaluate patients response to health care provision and the effectiveness of care
- Support and participate in shared learning across the practice and wider organisation
- Use a structured framework (e.g. root-cause analysis) to manage, review and identify learning from patient complaints, clinical incidents and near-miss events
- Assess the impact of policy implementation on care delivery
- Working with the practice management monitor and develop the performance of the GPN team in accordance with local policies
- Understand and apply legal issues that support the identification of vulnerable and abused children and adults, and be aware of statutory child/vulnerable patients health procedures and local guidance
- Working with practice management to ensure the whole team have skills and knowledge regarding domestic violence, vulnerable adults, substance abuse and addictive behaviour.
- Provide guidance and support to ensure appropriate referral if required in line with legislation, policies and procedures
D.Leadership
- Support the lead nurse/ANP in the delivery of practice nursing services ensuring that the needs of the patient are a priority
- Take responsibility for own learning and performance including participating in clinical supervision and acting as a positive role model
- Critically evaluate and review innovations and developments that are relevant to the area of work
- Contribute to the development of local guidelines, protocols and standards
- Promote the role of the Practice Nurse in general practice
E.Team working
- Understand own role and scope and identify how this may develop over time
- Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working
- Delegate clearly and appropriately, adopting the principles of safe practice and assessment of competence
- Create clear referral mechanisms to meet patient need
- Prioritise own workload and contribute to effective time-management strategies embedded within the culture of the team
- Work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery
- Discuss, highlight and work with the team to create opportunities to improve patient care
- Manage and lead on the delivery of specifically identified services or projects as agreed with the practice management team
- Agree plans and outcomes by which to measure success
F.Management of risk
- Manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients
- Monitor work areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards and conform to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines
- Ensure appropriate supervision of safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs. Oversee the monitoring, stock control and documentation of controlled drug usage according to legal requirements where appropriate
- Apply infection-control measures within the practice according to local and national guidelines
- Advocate for policies that reduce environmental health risks, are culturally sensitive and increase access to health care for all
G.Managing information
- Use technology and appropriate software as an aid to management in planning, implementation and monitoring of care, presenting and communicating information
- Review and process data using accurate Read codes in order to ensure easy and accurate information retrieval for monitoring and audit processes
- Manage information searches using the internet and local library databases
- Understand responsibility of self and others to the practice and primary care trust regarding the Freedom of Information Act
H.Learning and development
- Undertake mentorship for more junior staff, assessing competence against set standards
- Disseminate learning and information gained to other team members in order to share good practice and inform others about current and future developments (e.g. courses and conferences)
- Assess own learning needs and undertake learning as appropriate
- Provide an educational role to patients, carers, families and colleagues in an environment that facilitates learning
I.Equality and diversity
- Identify patterns of discrimination and take action to overcome this and promote diversity and equality of opportunity
- Enable others to promote equality and diversity in a non-discriminatory culture
- Support people who need assistance in exercising their rights
- Monitor and evaluate adherence to local chaperoning policies
- Act as a role model in the observance of equality and diversity good practice
- Accept the rights of individuals to choose their care providers, participate in care and refuse care
- Assist patients from marginalised groups to access quality care
