Title- Practice Nurse Responsible to- Lead Practice Nurse & Clinical GP Lead Accountable to- GP Partners/ Practice Manager Job summary The post holder is responsible for the delivery of general practice nursing to the whole practice population. The focus of the role is both the delivery of evidence-based practice for patients presenting with a long term condition, and the provision of preventative health care to the practice population. As an autonomous practitioner the nurse is responsible for the care delivered, demonstrating critical thinking and skills in clinical decision-making in the management of patients. They will work collaboratively within the general practice team to meet the needs of patients, support the delivery of policy and procedures, and provide nurse leadership as required. Key responsibilities Clinical practice Assess, plan, develop, implement and evaluate treatment programmes that promote well being Assess, plan, implement and evaluate individual treatment plans for patients with a known long-term condition Proactively identify, diagnose and manage treatment plans for patients at risk of developing a long-term condition Work with, and refer to where appropriate, other health care professionals and organisations to diagnose, monitor, manage and treat long-term conditions, including non-drug-based and drug based treatment methods using a management plan, and in line with national and local policies/protocols and practice needs Review medication for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to patient needs and in accordance with evidence-based practice and national and practice protocols Work with patients in order to support adherence to prescribed treatments Provide information and advice on prescribed or over-the-counter medication, medication regimens, side-effects and interactions Prioritise health problems and intervene appropriately to assist the patient in complex, urgent or emergency situations, including initiation of effective emergency care Support patients to adopt health promotion strategies that promote patients to live healthily, and apply principles of self-care Support and manage health needs of women presenting for family planning, family planning procedures and cervical cytology consultations, and including health promotion for sexual health Recognise, assess and refer patients to GP or CPN, presenting with mental health needs in accordance with the NSF for Mental Health Implement and participate in vaccination and immunisation programmes for both adults and children under national guidelines and PGDs Advise patients travelling abroad, using support materials and risk assessment. Include health promotion and disease prevention, using evidence based and up to date professional travel health resources, and administration of vaccinations under PGDs Promote and deliver evidence-based care for patients presenting with aural conditions Meet the needs of patients presenting for acute and chronic wound care Preparation of equipment and patient, and supporting of patient, during minor surgical and family planning procedures Administration of prescribed medicines for acute and long term conditions Maintaining and monitoring patient safety and infection control Communication Demonstrate sensitive communication styles to ensure patients are fully informed and consent to treatment Communicate with and support patients 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 Estimate and maintain effective communication with individuals and groups within the practice environment and with external stakeholders Act as an advocate when representing patients and colleagues 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 with legislation, policies and procedures 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, benchmarking and formal evaluation Participate in the maintenance of quality governance systems and processes across the practice Utilise the audit cycle as a means of evaluating the quality of the work of self and the team, implementing improvements where required Collaborate on improving the quality of health care in partnership with other clinical teams, responding to local and national policies and initiatives as appropriate Evaluate the patients response to health care provision and the effectiveness of care Support and participate in shared learning across the practice and wider organisation Participate in the management and review of patient complaints, and identify learning from clinical incidents and near-miss events using a structured framework Assess the impact of policy implementation on care delivery Participate in the performance monitoring review of the team, providing feedback as appropriate Understand and apply legal policy that supports the identification of vulnerable and abused children and adults, being aware of statutory child/vulnerable adult health procedure and local guidance Work within policies regarding family violence, vulnerable adults, substance abuse and addictive behaviour, and refer as appropriate Leadership personal and people development Take responsibility for own development learning and performance including participating in clinical supervision of Health Care Assistants and acting as a positive role model Support the development of others in order to maximise potential Actively promote the workplace as a learning environment, encouraging everyone to learn from each other and from external good practice Encourage others to make realistic self-assessment of their application of knowledge and skills, challenging any complacency and actions that are not in the interest of the public and/or users of services Participate in planning and implementing changes within the area of care and responsibility Work with practice management to ensure sufficient staff of appropriate ability, quality and skill-mix are available to meet current and future service delivery Contribute and participate in the development of local guidelines, protocols and standards Participate in the planning and engagement of practice-based commissioning or similar initiatives Ensure awareness of sources of support and guidance, and provide information in an acceptable format to all patients, recognising any difficulties and referring where appropriate Team working Understand own role and scope, and identify how this may develop over time Work as an effective and responsible team member, supporting others and exploring the mechanisms to develop new ways of working Delegate clearly and appropriately, adopting the principles of safe practice and assessing competence Ensure clear referral mechanisms are in place to meet patient needs Prioritise own workload and ensure effective time-management strategies are embedded within the culture of the team Work effectively with others to clearly define values, direction and policies impacting upon care delivery Participate in team activities that create opportunities to improve patient care Participate in and support local projects as agreed with the practice management team