Nurse Practitioner

Job summary

Position: Nurse Practitioner (NP)

Job Summary:

A Nurse Practitioner (NP) working in the National HealthService (NHS) in the United Kingdom may have a job description that is somewhatdifferent from the role of a Nurse Practitioner in some other healthcaresystems. In the NHS, NPs are often referred to as Advanced Nurse Practitioners(ANPs) or Advanced Clinicans depending on their qualifications as well as Nurse Practitioners.

A Nurse Practitioner in the NHS is a highly skilled andautonomous registered nurse who works as a part of the primary healthcare teamunder the supervision of General Practitioners (GPs) or independently in somecases.

They play a crucial role in the delivery of high-quality and efficientpatient care in primary care settings.

Main duties of the job

Assessment

Conduct comprehensive assessments of patients' health conditions, including physical, psychological, and social aspects. This may involve taking medical histories, performing physical examinations, ordering diagnostic tests, and interpreting results.

Diagnosis

Formulate differential diagnoses and make accurate diagnoses of patients' health conditions.

Treatment

Develop and implement treatment plans, which can include prescribing medication, providing health education, and offering non-pharmacological interventions.

Chronic Disease Management

Manage patients with chronic health conditions, helping them to achieve the best possible outcomes and quality of life.

Referrals

Refer patients to specialist healthcare providers or services when necessary, and collaborate with other members of the healthcare team.

Health Promotion

Promote health and well-being through patient education and preventive healthcare measures.

Record Keeping

Maintain accurate and up-to-date patient records in accordance with NHS guidelines.

Research and Development

Engage in continuous professional development to stay current with best practices, research, and guidelines.

Patient Advocacy

Act as an advocate for patients, ensuring their needs and preferences are considered in the care plan.

Quality Improvement

Participate in quality improvement initiatives to enhance the overall quality of care provided within the practice.

About us

Latchford Medical Centre is a forward thinking Medical Centre where our patients, our team and our community are at the heart of everything we do.

We have 8000 patients registered with us but with the growing population our patient numbers are increasing.

The Practice has four dynamic Partners who are keen to progress the Practice in order to keep up with our ever growing demand.

They embrace technology and encourage their team to use it where possible to support our Patients.

We are looking to grow a strong nursing team to work with the Partners and build a resilient workforce.

Job description

Job responsibilities

Key Responsibilities:

Assessment: Conduct comprehensive assessments of patients'health conditions, including physical, psychological, and social aspects. Thismay involve taking medical histories, performing physical examinations,ordering diagnostic tests, and interpreting results.

Diagnosis: Formulate differential diagnoses and makeaccurate diagnoses of patients' health conditions.

Treatment: Develop and implement treatment plans, which caninclude prescribing medication, providing health education, and offeringnon-pharmacological interventions.

Emergency Care: Provide emergency care and management forpatients, including handling acute and complex cases.

Chronic Disease Management: Manage patients with chronichealth conditions, helping them to achieve the best possible outcomes andquality of life.

Referrals: Refer patients to specialist healthcare providersor services when necessary, and collaborate with other members of thehealthcare team, such as GPs and consultants.

Health Promotion: Promote health and well-being throughpatient education and preventive healthcare measures.

Record Keeping: Maintain accurate and up-to-date patientrecords in accordance with NHS guidelines.

Research and Development: Engage in continuous professionaldevelopment to stay current with best practices, research, and guidelines.

Patient Advocacy: Act as an advocate for patients, ensuringtheir needs and preferences are considered in the care plan.

Quality Improvement: Participate in quality improvementinitiatives to enhance the overall quality of care provided within thepractice.

Safeguarding:

Child and Adult Safeguarding: NPs must be vigilant for signsof abuse or neglect in both children and adults. They should follow establishedNHS safeguarding procedures to report concerns, collaborate with relevantagencies, and ensure patient safety.

Vulnerable Populations: Pay special attention to vulnerablepatient populations, including the elderly, individuals with mental healthissues, or those with disabilities. Ensure that their unique safeguarding needsare addressed.

Training and Awareness: Stay updated on safeguardingtraining and guidelines and help educate the healthcare team on the importanceof safeguarding practices.

Documentation: Maintain accurate and detailed records ofsafeguarding concerns and actions taken, ensuring that information is securelystored and shared only with authorized individuals.

Information Governance:

Data Security: Adhere to strict data security andconfidentiality protocols to protect patient information. This includesfollowing the Data Protection Act (or its successor) and ensuring the securestorage and transmission of patient records.

Information Sharing: Safely share patient information withinthe boundaries of patient consent and information governance policies. Ensurethat shared data is accurate and relevant to the patient's care.

Clinical Systems: Use clinical systems and electronic healthrecords (EHRs) in compliance with NHS information governance policies,maintaining the integrity and confidentiality of patient data.

Records Management: Maintain accurate and up-to-date patientrecords, ensuring they are archived and disposed of in accordance with NHSinformation governance guidelines.

Training and Compliance: Participate in informationgovernance training to remain aware of the latest policies and best practices.Promote information governance awareness among the healthcare team.

Data Quality: Take responsibility for the accuracy andcompleteness of patient data, as quality data is essential for providing safeand effective care.

Incident Reporting: Promptly report any breaches orincidents related to information governance and assist in investigations andcorrective actions as required.

Incorporating safeguarding and information governance intothe job description highlights the A

NP's role in ensuring patient safety, maintaining dataintegrity, and upholding ethical and legal standards in healthcare. Theseresponsibilities are essential to providing high-quality and safe care withinthe NHS.

Infection Control:

Standard Precautions: Strictly adhere to standardprecautions, including hand hygiene, personal protective equipment (PPE) use,and respiratory hygiene, to prevent the transmission of infections.

Aseptic Techniques: Utilize aseptic techniques whenperforming procedures or handling invasive medical devices to minimize the riskof infection.

Isolation and Quarantine: Implement appropriate isolation orquarantine measures when dealing with patients with contagious diseases,following NHS guidelines and policies.

Vaccination Promotion: Encourage vaccination among eligiblepatients and ensure that they are up to date with recommended immunizations,helping to protect against preventable diseases.

Environmental Hygiene: Maintain a clean and hygienichealthcare environment by participating in environmental cleaning anddisinfection protocols.

Education and Training: Stay informed about the latestinfection control practices, and provide training and guidance to colleaguesand patients on infection prevention measures.

Infection Surveillance: Participate in infectionsurveillance programs to monitor and report healthcare-associated infections.Promptly report any outbreaks or unusual patterns.

Waste Management: Properly manage and dispose of clinicalwaste in accordance with infection control guidelines, ensuring the safehandling and disposal of biohazardous materials.

Antibiotic Stewardship: Support antibiotic stewardshipefforts by using antibiotics judiciously and educating patients on theimportance of completing antibiotic courses as prescribed.

Respiratory Infection Control: Follow guidelines for thecontrol of respiratory infections, such as those related to tuberculosis orseasonal flu, and provide guidance on preventive measures.

Emergency Preparedness: Be prepared to respondto public health emergencies that may involve infectious disease outbreaks,collaborating with local health authorities and emergency services.

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Registered Nurse (RN) with additional postgraduate education and certification as an Advanced Nurse Practitioner. Membership with a professional nursing body, such as the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). Relevant experience working as an NP in a primary care or general practice setting. A commitment to ongoing professional development and keeping up to date with the latest healthcare guidelines and best practices.

Desirable

Masters Qualification for Advanced Practitioners

---