JOB DESCRIPTION Post: Practice Nurse Responsible to: Managerial Practice Manager Clinical Nurse Practitioner and G.P. Partners Wage: Dependant on experience Main Purpose of the Role To assist medical personnel in the care of practice patients to include treatment, preventative care, screening and patient education. The post will also include some administrative duties. To act as a focal point on communication between patients, doctors, nurses and other members of the primary health care team To maintain a safe and effective level of practice and to bring any deficits in training to the attention of the nursing team leader so these can be addressed. To act in a professional manner at all times and adhere to practice policies, protocols and guidelines To work as an effective team player To provide continuing care to patient across the whole practice population To provide health maintenance and health promotional services to the well, offering educational supportive setting for patients to explore their health problems. Principal Duties and Responsibilities Nursing To undertake and oversee chronic disease management (ie asthma, diabetes, hypertension, coronary heart disease and COPD), incorporating progress-monitoring, response to treatment, reducing unnecessary hospital admissions and promoting the preventative aspects of nursing practice. To ensure all clinical domains for quality outcome framework are met To Facilitate and participate in multidisciplinary education within the practice. To support students of any discipline undertaking a work placement at the practice All health checks as delegated BP monitoring Urinalysis Phlebotomy Perform other routine laboratory tests INR Monitoring Spirometry Assist other clinical members when necessary Provide lifestyle advice to patients making any necessary referrals with the practice Wound assessment and management including Doppler assessments Undertake other tasks delegated by lead nurse Administer injections including travel injections and baby vaccinations as per patient group direction Undertake high vaginal swabs as requested by a doctor Undertake Pill checks Undertake ear syringing Undertake Cervical Smear testing Administration Participate in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the practice team Ensure accurate notes of all consultation and treatments are recorded on the patients notes and clinical computer is kept up to date with accurate details recorded. Ensure appropriate codes are entered accurately, reporting any problems to the Process manager or Practice manager Attend and participate in practice meeting as required Carry out drug and vaccine stock take and re-ordering weekly/monthly To assist in seasonal and special projects as requested eg flu campaign Ordering and display of Health Promotion materials Audit collect and maintain statistical information required for reports or claiming of fee Participate in the infection control policies and audits Tasks from doctors and receptionists regarding patients This list is not exhaustive roles tasks and responsibilities will continue to change as the practice develops and moves with the ever-changing NHS. Confidentiality: In the course of seeking treatment, patients entrust us with, or allow us to gather, sensitive information in relation to their health and other matters. They do so in confidence and have the right to expect that staff will respect their privacy and act appropriately In the performance of the duties outlined in this Job Description, the post-holder may have access to confidential information relating to patients and their carers, Practice staff and other healthcare workers. They may also have access to information relating to the Practice as a business organisation. All such information from any source is to be regarded as strictly confidential Information relating to patients, carers, colleagues, other healthcare workers or the business of the Practice may only be divulged to authorised persons in accordance with the Practice policies and procedures relating to confidentiality and the protection of personal and sensitive data Health & Safety: The post-holder will be responsible for their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, the practice Health & Safety Manual, and the practice Infection Control policy and published procedures must be adhered to. This will include (but will not be limited to): Using personal security systems within the workplace according to Practice guidelines Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines Responsible for the correct and safe management of the specimens process including collection, labelling, handling, use of correct and clean containers, storage and transport arrangements Management and maintenance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the practice including provision, ordering, availability and ongoing correct usage Adhere to the hand hygiene Policy Adhere to the infection control and clinically based patient care protocols Active observation of current working practices across the practice in relation to infection control, cleanliness and related activities, ensuring that procedures are followed and weaknesses / training needs are identified, escalating issues as appropriate Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across clinical and patient process Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills Monitoring practice facilities and equipment in relation to infection control, ensuring that provision of hand cleansing facilities, wipes etc are sufficient to ensure a good clinical working environment. Lack of facilities to be escalated to infection control lead or practice manager as appropriate. Safe management of sharps procedures including training, use, storage and disposal Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy, clean and sterile, and safe way, free from hazards. Initiation of remedial / corrective action where needed or escalation to responsible management Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised Keeping own work areas and general / patient areas generally clean, sterile, identifying issues and hazards / risks in relation to other work areas within the business, and assuming responsibility in the maintenance of general standards of cleanliness across the business in consultation (where appropriate) with other sector managers Undertaking periodic infection control training Waste management including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection Spillage control procedures, management and training Decontamination control procedures, management and training, and equipment maintenance Maintenance of sterile environments Equality and Diversity: The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include: Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of peoples rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with Practice procedures and policies, and current legislation Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues Behaving in a manner which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights. Personal/Professional Development: The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the Practice as part of this employment, such training to include: Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development Taking responsibility for own development, learning and performance and demonstrating skills and activities to others who are undertaking similar work Quality: The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the Practice, and will: Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision Contribute to the effectiveness of the team by reflecting on own and team activities and making suggestions on ways to improve and enhance the teams performance Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs Effectively manage own time, workload and resources Communication: The post-holder should recognise the importance of effective communication within the team and will strive to: Communicate effectively with other team members Communicate effectively with patients and carers Recognise peoples needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly Contribution to the Implementation of Services: The post-holder will: Apply Practice policies, standards and guidance Discuss with other members of the team how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect own work Participate in audit where appropriate