Practice Nurse

Job responsibilities

Administer adult and child immunisations and vaccinations in accordance with national and local programmes. Is competent in anaphylaxis and resuscitation techniques. Ensures safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs and adequate stock levels are maintained.

Offer comprehensive travel health advice for patients prior to travel to include malaria prophylaxis, safe sex, food hygiene, sun protection, first aid and emergency medication, healthy insurance and vaccinations.

Undertake procedures to include, venepuncture, BP management, urinalysis, peak flow, spirometry, new patient health checks, pregnancy testing, stitch/clip removal, ear syringing and cytology, wound management.

Provide a comprehensive family planning service

Recognise and understand the importance of observing, documenting and communicating the signs and symptoms of child and adult abuse

Work within all relevant practice and PCT policies and procedural guidelines eg infection control, chaperoning, patient group directions

Participate and lead in areas such as asthma and COPD management, undertake the establishment and running of disease management clinics and provide specialist nursing care for the patients or communities that the practice serves

Initiate the process of diagnosis with patients suspected to have a chronic disease eg diabetes, COPD, asthma, CHD referring to other clinicians as appropriate

Manage programmes of care for patients with chronic diseases by planning, providing and evaluating care under agreed local/national guidelines, protocols and patient group directions

Participate in programmes of care for all areas of womens health including providing and evaluating care under agreed local/national guidelines, protocols and patient group directions

Maintain disease registers

Health Promotion

Initiate and carry out programmes of health screening

Contribute to profiling of the practice population

Enable, encourage and support individuals, families and groups to address issues which affect their health and social well-being

Represent individuals and families interests when they are not able to do so themselves

Provide healthy lifestyle and smoking cessation advice to individuals and groups

Develops and maintains the health promotion material within the practice

Organisation/Quality

Ensure that all Practice Policies are fully implemented

Deliver care to National Service Frameworks, NICE guidelines, CQC Model Framework, NHS/CCG policy and evidence-based care.

Assess effectiveness of care delivery through self and peer review, benchmarking and formal evaluation.

Utilise the audit cycle as a means of evaluating the quality of work, implementing improvements where required.

Participate in quality improvement initiatives, including Significant Event Analysis, peer review and the review of patient complaints.

Cooperate fully and openly with the investigation of patient complaints (or other investigations), including drafting responses to complaints as appropriate.

Support and work towards the achievement of national standards (e.g. Quality and Outcomes Framework), local NHS/CCG standards and Practice standards.

Professional Role

Audit outcomes of care against standards and initiate changes as necessary

Undertake annual review of patients understanding and ability to self manage

Refer to other members of the extended primary health care team eg chiropodist, dietician, specialist nurses

Create and capitalise upon opportunities to influence the setting of policies which will affect health and social well-being.

Assist in developing clinical protocols for the surgery and the team

Contribute to CCG/Service/Team audit and research activity as required

Identify, apply and disseminate research findings relating to specialist practice

Monitors and uses resources appropriately within the team e.g. vaccines

Work within the latest NMC Code of Professional Conduct

Manage/Lead self and others

The practice nurse has a role in promoting good leadership for all grades of staff and will:

Contribute to and initiate the development, monitoring and evaluation of care delivery by the Nursing Team

Provide expert clinical advice on educational opportunities that will facilitate the development and support of their specialist knowledge and skills to ensure the development of clinical practice Encourage and develop teamwork within the practice

Participate in clinical and practice meetings

Partake in clinical supervision for own development

Develop own knowledge and practice to meet objectives/changes in service

Responsibility for Information Resources

Make effective use of the clinical system by ensuring the consistent and accurate entering of data and use of Read Codes

Facilitate the use of up to date information technology in order to collate accurate and timely information as and when required by the practice and CCG

Make recommendations and initiates raising of practice standards and service delivery

Contribute to a satisfactory call and recall system of patients

Understand and follow the requirements of confidentiality (including the Data Protection Act) and the Freedom of Information Act and to refer on any queries as appropriate.

Follow Practice policy regarding the use of email, SystmOne and computer tasks as the main internal method of non-verbal communication and the use of the intranet and the internet as the main source of internal and external information, including the retrieval of relevant information for patients on their condition.

Equality and diversity

Act in ways that recognise the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with procedures.

Respect the privacy, dignity and beliefs of patients, carers, visitors and co-workers. They must be treated equally, irrespective of sex, race, age, disability, sexual orientation, religion and belief, marriage/partnership, gender reassignment, pregnancy & maternity

Follow the Practice Chaperoning policy

Be aware of statutory procedures, local guidance and referral criteria regarding protection of children and vulnerable adults, including Practice policies. Follow the guidance and policies and take action in an appropriate manner.

Health, safety and security

Assist in the surveillance, prevention and control of infection, according to local and national guidelines

Contribute to the development of measures to reduce the incidence of infection

Actively participate in clinical audit process, evaluate and disseminate learning outcomes

Use the personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines.

Assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients.

Follow Health and Safety Policies and guidelines, including fire procedures and those pertaining to clinical areas of risk. Use safe working procedures and report incidents using the incident reporting system.

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.

Respect for patient confidentiality

The post-holder should respect patient confidentiality at all times and not divulge patient information unless sanctioned by the requirements of the role.

Teamwork

Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting other members of clinical and non-clinical staff in a flexible and approachable manner.

Understand own role and scope within the organisation and identify how this may develop over ...