Principal Responsibilities

• To provide assessment, treatment, screening and health education services and advice, working in accordance with set protocols, guidelines and NMC Code of Conduct.
• Provide nursing service/treatments to patients independently or in participation with general practitioners with reference to aforesaid agreed protocols and guidelines.

Professional Responsibilities:

• To be qualified and a member of the NMC
• Maintain continued education by attendance at courses and study days relevant/useful or necessary for personal/professional development including attendance at the PCN protected learning time (PLT) events.
• To have the ability to work on own initiative, acknowledging limitations of oneself and in the delegation to others. Recognising when referral to other health professionals is needed.
• To be familiar with changes and progress in nursing care.
• Evaluating and adapting care using evidence based practice, in consultation with colleagues as a forum for team education, development and audit.
• Using evidence based practice to assist in the formulation of practice philosophy, strategy and policies.

Specific Duties

Nursing procedures to include, but not limited to -

• Wound management
• Measuring blood pressure & Venepuncture
• Routine injections as prescribed
• Cervical Smears
• Childhood and Adult immunisations, including reading and reviewing Patient Group Directives (PGDs) and Patient Specific Directives (PSDs)
• Well Person Health Checks including NHS Health Checks, Lifestyle and New Patient Checks
• Obesity and weight/diet management
• Family Planning – including assisting in Implants & Coil fittings & Sexual health
• Chronic disease management and prevention ~ Diabetes, Hypertension, Hypothyroidism, Stroke, Epilepsy, IHD, COPD and Asthma
• Leg ulcer management
• Minor Injuries and Minor Illness
• INR Monitoring and Dosing using (INRStar N3)
• CVD risk assessments and Q risk interpretation and assessments.
• Home visits for housebound patients – to include routine checks (e.g. Diabetic) and flu vaccines.
• Referrals – Podiatry, Counselling, Audiology, etc.
• Ensuring all specimens are checked and sent to laboratory as required

You will be fully conversant in QOF, clinical coding and uphold strategies to provide a holistic combined healthcare for the patient and demonstrate a willingness to participate in research/audit within the practice team.

You will be aware of DES/LES policies and apply and produce, alongside the Practice Manager, protocols that reflect the guidelines that are workable in the practice.

Participate in the education of students of all disciplines.

To be responsible for the efficient running of the treatment room and equipment and to ensure the clinical areas are at all times safe for staff and patients.

To adhere to strict Infection Control in line with guidelines and policies.

Advise patients and relatives/carers on general health care and ailments with referral to GP’s as necessary.

Administrative support

• To maintain accurate, comprehensive records of all consultations and treatments in the patient’s notes, both written and computerised, awareness of QOF, read codes and alerts needed for standardised care.
• All associated nursing administration – e.g. Vaccine forms, Travel Health Questionnaires, protocol review and assisting Reception with queries.
• To access and file microbiology/cytology results.
• Manage clinics effectively and contact patients to attend.
• To take personal responsibility for own personal/professional development, providing sufficient evidence of the achievement of set objectives through individual performance and the review process.
• Ensure accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patient health care and registration with the practice.
• Help with collection of statistical information required for QOF & UPO.
• Attend and participate in practice and staff meetings as appropriate.
• To take prompt action to defuse situations of complaints and be equipped with the knowledge to advise patients and relatives/carers about the complaints procedure.
• Maintain appearance and behaviour in keeping with a member of the nursing profession and in accordance with codes of conduct.
• Support and co-ordinate health promotion campaigns, i.e. flu, no smoking, healthy lifestyles, etc.
• Maintain effective liaison with other agencies and staff concerned with patient care and with other disciplines within the practice, with appropriate regard to confidentiality.

Treatment Room supplies and equipment

• To have working knowledge of equipment used in the surgery. Ensuring that any faulty equipment is taken out of service for repair and reported to the nursing team for information and Practice Administrator for action.
• To be aware of Infection Control and updated policies.
• In participation with the Practice Manager to ensure the maintenance of equipment and stock levels in relation to patient care.
• To recommend medication changes/modifications in accordance with agreed protocols/guidelines and current regulations.
• To regularly update knowledge and information through use of medical journals, training, courses, etc.
• To maintain the ‘cold chain’ and stock levels of vaccines ordered, used and needed in the vaccine fridge/fridges and to delegate the daily recordings to other appropriately trained staff members.
• To be responsible for the resuscitation equipment and expiry dates on emergency trolley.
• Checking all equipment returned from patients after loan, i.e. BP monitors and nebulisers.
• Any other duties as reasonably requested by the Doctors, or Practice Manager, providing these duties are within the scope of the role and that the individual is trained and capable of such duty.

The role of the Practice Nurse is an evolving one and it is anticipated that the post holder will be responsible and reasonably flexible in the interpretation of the above job description.

Confidentiality:

• In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately
• In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, Practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the Practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential
• Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data

Health & Safety:

The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others’ health, safety and security as defined in the Practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:

• Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines
• Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
• Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
• Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
• Reporting potential risks identified

Equality and Diversity:

The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:

• Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of people’s rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
• Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
• Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.

Personal/Professional Development:

The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of this employment, such training to include:

• Participation in an annual individual appraisal, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
• Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work
• If Training is conducted within working hours, the Practice will sacrifice the time. If out of working hours, the employee to sacrifice own time

Quality:

The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will:

• Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
• Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
• Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the team’s performance
• Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients’ needs
• Effectively manage own time, workload and resources

Communication:

The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to:

• Communicate effectively with other team members
• Communicate effectively with patients and carers
• Recognize people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the Implementation of Services:

The post-holder will:

• Apply Practice policies, standards and guidance
• Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work
• Participate in audit where appropriate