Practice Nurse

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, ...