Practice Nurse

Job summary

We are a friendly, supportive well organised practice, committed toproviding a high level of effective care to our patients.

Due to the retirement of one of our Practice Nurses, an excitingopportunity has arisen; we are looking to recruit an experienced Practice Nursewith a passion for delivering high quality care and education to patients. Youwill work as part of a happy, loyal & committed nursing team (which consists of 2Practice Nurses, Advanced HCAs and HCA/Phlebotomists) and be fully supported by GPs and Nurse Practitioners.

The ideal candidate will take a prominent role in the provision ofDiabetic Care services along side our Nurse Practitioner (with a specialinterest in Diabetes), and provide general Nursing care, chronic diseasemanagement and education to the practice population.

We are a Teaching Practice based in new purpose-built premises withinRedcar Primary Care Hospital and have access to Physiotherapy, Radiology,Endoscopy, Audiology, Minor injuries, MRI, CT and X-Ray facilities on-site. Ourmodern building offers excellent facilities, ample free parking and easy accessto public transport.

Our existingclinical team provides us with a diverse skill set consisting of, four GPPartners, Salaried GP, Paramedic Practitioners, Nurse Practitioners, PracticeNurses, Healthcare Assistants and Phlebotomists. As a member of Recdar CostalPCN, we benefit from having access to ARRS practitioners and have goodworking relationships with the other member practices.

Main duties of the job

Caring for patients

Implement treatment plans forpatients with long-term conditions.

Long-term disease management, including:

Diabetes, asthma/COPD clinics and other chronic disease management/QOFactivities

Support and encourage patients to adopt ahealthy lifestyle

Support and advise patients with familyplanning

Carry out, support and advise women withregards to cervical smear tests

Support and advise men with health/lifestyleadvice

Carry out testing/screening, including:

Urine testing

BP monitoring

ECG

Spirometry

Take and test pathology samples frompatients for analysis

Care for patients with wounds, including:

Removal of sutures

Tissue viability assessment

Wound management

Ulcer care, including Doppler assessment.

Management of skin conditions and referralwhere necessary.

Run travel clinics and advise patients onvaccination, medication, malaria prophylaxis and avoidance, safe sex, foodhygiene, health insurance, etc.

Implement and participate in vaccination andimmunisation programmes for both adults and children, including (but notlimited to):

Routine immunisations

Seasonal immunisations

Pneumococcal immunisation

Perform other clinical duties as required,within the scope of the practice nurses competencies and training.

Establishing appropriate communicationmethods to suit patients and carers level of understanding, cultural/languageneeds, and preferred communication method.

About us

We are a friendly, supportive well organised practice, committed to providing a high level of effective care to our patients.

Our existing clinical team provides us with a diverse skill set consisting of, four GP Partners, Salaried GP, Paramedic Practitioners, Nurse Practitioners, Practice Nurses, Healthcare Assistants and Phlebotomists. As a member of Recdar Costal PCN, we benefit from having access to ARRS practitioners and have good working relationships with the other member practices.

We are a Teaching Practice based in new purpose-built premises within Redcar Primary Care Hospital and have access to Physiotherapy, Radiology, Endoscopy, Audiology, Minor injuries, MRI, CT and X-Ray facilities on-site. Our modern building offers excellent facilities, ample free parking and easy access to public transport.

We have continued to maintain a Good CQC rating

Job description

Job responsibilities

Keyresponsibilities clinical

1. Caring for patients

Implement and evaluate treatment plans forpatients with long-term conditions.

Long-term disease management, including (butnot limited to):

oRunning diabetes management clinics andsupporting patients

oRunning asthma/COPD clinics and supportingpatients (including inhaler and nebuliser use and care)

oManaging chronic heart disease

oManaging hypertension

Other chronic disease management/QOFactivities

Support and advise patients in managingtheir own disease.

Identify and manage treatment plans forpatients at risk of long-term conditions.

Appropriately support patients in complex,urgent or emergency situations, and initiate emergency care as required.

Support and encourage patients to adopt ahealthy lifestyle.

Give advice on prescribed or over thecounter medications.

Support and advise women with familyplanning needs, including contraception and safe sex advice.

Carry out, support and advise women withregards to cervical smear tests

Support and advise men with health/lifestyleadvice and appropriate referrals.

Support and refer patients with mentalhealth needs.

Carry out testing/screening, including (butnot limited to):

oUrine testing/analysis

oBlood pressure measurement/monitoring

oECG

oHeight, weight measurement

oAudio testing

oSpirometry

oOral glucose tolerance testing

oTake and test pathology samples frompatients for analysis (blood, sputum, urine, etc)

Care for patients with wounds, including(but not limited to):

oRemoval of sutures

oTissue viability assessment

oWound cleaning and dressing

oManagement of burns and scalds

oUlcer care, including Doppler assessment.

Management of minor injuries (sprains,bruising, cuts, etc).

Management of skin conditions and referralwhere necessary.

Run travel clinics and advise patients onvaccination, medication, malaria prophylaxis and avoidance, safe sex, foodhygiene, health insurance, etc.

Implement and participate in vaccination andimmunisation programmes for both adults and children, including (but notlimited to):

oRoutine immunisations

oPertussis immunisation for pregnant women

oFlu immunisation

oPneumococcal immunisation

Perform other clinical duties as required,within the scope of the practice nurses competencies and training.

2. Communication with patients

Ensure patients and carers are aware of andacknowledge the practice nurses role, including its scope and limits.

Advise and process referrals for patientswho need to be seen by a GP or other appropriate member of the clinical team.

Use communication that is appropriate to thesituation, including:

oCommunicating sensitively with patients andcarers when delivering bad news

Establishing appropriate communicationmethods to suit patients and carers level of understanding, cultural/languageneeds, and preferred communication method.

Anticipating and overcoming barriers tocommunication, seeking support from other staff members where necessary

Use appropriate communication skills andstyle to make patients aware of risk, to obtain consent where necessary, and toensure patients comply with treatment.

3. Delivering high-qualityservices

Provide services to the practices patientpopulation, to the highest possible standard, in line with competencies andprofessional code of conduct.

Monitor and maintain the standard of careprovided, taking appropriate action if standards are not met, through self- andpeer-review, benchmarking and evaluation.

Participate in clinical governance andclinical audit activities to ensure the continual improvement of servicedelivery.

Where appropriate, participate in reviewingand responding to complaints, significant events and other shared learningactivities.

Key responsibilities non-clinical

1. Record Keeping

Accurate record-keeping, including (but notlimited to):

oMaking and maintaining accurate,contemporaneous records of encounters with patients

oKeeping nursing team records accurate and upto date, in collaboration with the rest of the nursing team

oLabelling patient samples accurately andprocessing for collection and analysis

Maintain a safe working environment, inaccordance with health and safety protocol, including (but not limited to):

oKeeping clinical and non-clinical workingareas tidy and free of hazards, minimising the risk to everyone in the practice

oAdhering to policies relating to infectioncontrol, cold chain, spillages, decontamination, handling of specimens,handling sharps and clinical waste, etc

oMaintaining up-to-date knowledge on healthand safety protocol

oAttending mandatory training when required

Maintenance of stock and supplies, includingclinical supplies, vaccines, and health information literature, and providingtimely and accurate purchasing

records to the practice manager

Maintenance of clinical equipment, includingcontributing to the care and calibration of equipment, managing repairs andregular maintenance, and ensuring accurate record-keeping

Perform other non-clinical duties asrequired, within the scope of the practice nurses competencies and training.

2. Personal and professionaldevelopment

Comply with the Nursing and MidwiferyCouncil Code of Conduct and maintain up-to-date registration and documentation.

Act as a mentor and positive role model to studentsand more junior members of staff, sharing information and good practice.

Prioritise own workload and collaborateeffectively with others to prioritise team and practice workload.

Undertake training as required to ensurecompetencies for delivering all responsibilities, including attending, andcontributing to in-house training, and including (but not limited to):

oMaintaining personal development and CPDplans and records of learning, clinical supervision, appraisals of more juniorstaff and feedback on performance.

Keep up to date with current evidence-basedapproaches to patient care and service delivery, in line with NICE and theNational Service Framework.

Undertake regular mandatory training, suchas relating to emergency life support, manual lifting and handling,safeguarding vulnerable patients, child protection, etc.

Other importantaspects of the role

1. Maintaining confidentiality

The practice nurse will, asan integral part of and while carrying out his/her role, have access toconfidential and sometimes sensitive information relating to patients, carersand family members, as well as similar information about colleagues. Thepractice nurse might also have access to confidential commercial informationabout the practice and its business.

All such information, inwhatever format and howsoever made available, must be treated with thestrictest confidence. All such information held both within and outside of thepractice will be shared only as necessary, and in accordance with thepractices confidentiality/data sharing policies and in line with dataprotection legislation and the Freedom of Information Act.

2. Equality and diversity

The practice nurse will comply with thepractices own Equality and Diversity Policy and legislation relating toequality and diversity, including (but not limited to):

Recognising the rights of patients, carers,family members and colleagues, and respecting their needs, beliefs, privacy,and dignity.

Not discriminating against patients, carers,family members or colleagues on the grounds of any of the protectedcharacteristics in the Equality Act 2010 (or its amendments or laterlegislation).

Supporting people who need helpunderstanding and exercising their rights.

Acting as a role model in relation topromoting equality, diversity, and non-discriminatory practices.

Identifying discriminatory practices andpatterns of discrimination, taking appropriate action to tackle it, and insteadpromoting equality.

Complying with, promoting, and evaluatingchaperoning policies.

Recognising and promoting the right ofpatients to choose their care provider, and to participate in or refuse care.

3. Key relationships andcontacts

Internal

oPartners

oOther GPs

oLead practice nurse

oHealthcare assistants

oClinical staff in training

oPractice manager

oReception and administration staff

External

oPatients

oPatients carers and family members

oCommunity nursing and pharmacy teams

oSuppliers

oExternal trainers

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

Current NMC registration RGN Diabetes Care Wound management Hypertension management

Desirable

Qualification and/or experience in Asthma COPD Travel Health Cervical cytology Family planning, sexual health and contraception Ear irrigation

Experience

Essential

Practice Nurse experience Working in Primary Care Experience of using Systmone Chronic disease management (Diabetes) Vaccine & Immunisation Infection Control & Prevention management experience

Desirable

Three years post registration experience Ear care

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