Job summary
Assisting medical personnel in the care of practice patients, to include treatment, preventative care, screening and patient education. A special interest in Diabetes is preferred.
Job responsibilities
Providing assessment, screening and treatment services and health education advice
Provision of nursing services for the practice, to include the delegation of duties to other practice nursing staff as appropriate
Provide nursing treatments to patients in participation with general practitioners or independently, meeting agreed protocols
Provide general and specific health screenings to practice patients (within agreed protocols) with referral to general practitioners as necessary
Advise patients on general health care and minor ailments with referral to GPs as necessary
Supplies and equipment treatment room and other areas
In participation with the practice manager, ensure the maintenance of equipment and stock levels relating to patient care
Pathological specimens and investigatory procedures
Following appropriate training, undertake the collection, storage and despatch of pathological specimens including intravenous blood samples, swabs, smears etc. and ensure the cleanliness of any equipment so used. Perform any investigatory procedures requested by the GPs.
Administrative and professional responsibilities
Participate in the administrative and professional responsibilities of the practice team
Complete the annual infection control audit maintaining the practices high standards. Provide feedback to the practice team.
Ensure accurate notes of all consultations and treatments are recorded in the patients notes on the clinical computer system as appropriate
Ensure accurate completion of all necessary documentation associated with patient health care and registration with the practice
Ensure collection and maintenance of statistical information required for regular and ad hoc reports
Attend and participate in practice meetings as required
Assist in the formulation of practice philosophy, strategy and policy and develop appropriate protocols
Maintain a notice board in the waiting area designated for patient health care education
Research projects
Co-operate and participate as required in any research projects within the practice
Student, staff education and training
Participate in the education and training of students of all disciplines and the induction of all members of practice staff with special responsibility for nursing staff
Liaison
1. Maintain effective liaison with other agencies and staff concerned with patient care and with all other disciplines within the practice, with appropriate regard to confidentiality
2. Professional development
3. Maintain continued education by attendance at courses and study days as deemed useful or necessary for professional development
Confidentiality
4. 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
5. 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
6. 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 implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management 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. This will include (but will not be limited to):
7. Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
8. Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines
9. Responsible for the correct and safe management of the specimens process including collection, labelling, handling, use of correct and clean containers, storage and transport
10. Management and maintenance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the practice including provision, ordering, availability and ongoing correct usage by staff
11. Responsible for hand hygiene across the practice
12. Ownership of infection control and clinically based patient care protocols, and implementation of those protocols across the practice
13. 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
14. Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks across clinical and patient process
15. Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills, and initiate and manage the training of others across the full range of infection control and patient processes
16. 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 as appropriate.
17. Safe management of sharps procedures including training, use, storage and disposal
18. 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
19. Actively identifying, reporting, and correction of health and safety hazards and infection hazards immediately when recognised
20. 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
21. Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum twice annually)
22. Routine management of own team / team areas, and maintenance of work space standards
23. Waste management including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection
24. Spillage control procedures, management and training
25. Decontamination control procedures, management and training, and equipment maintenance
26. Maintenance of sterile environments
27. Demonstrate due regard for safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children.
Equality and diversity
The post-holder will support the equality, diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues, to include:
28. Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of indivduals rights, interpreting them in a way that is consistent with practice procedures and policies, and current legislation
29. Respecting the privacy, dignity, needs and beliefs of patients, carers and colleagues
30. Behaving in a manner that 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, to include:
31. Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
32. 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:
33. Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
34. Assess own performance and take accountability for own actions, either directly or under supervision
35. 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
36. Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
37. 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:
38. Communicate effectively with other team members
39. Communicate effectively with patients and carers
40. Recognize individuals needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly
Contribution to the Implementation of Services
The post-holder will:
41. Apply practice policies, standards and guidance
42. Discuss with other team members how the policies, standards and guidelines will affect their own work
43. Participate in audits where appropriate
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
44. Experience of working in accordance with the UKCC Code of Professional Conduct and The Scope of Professional Practice
45. Experience of dealing with the public/patients
46. Experience of EMIS clinical system
47. Experience of Microsoft Office software
48. Competent in basic nursing duties required for the post
49. Excellent communication skills
50. Specific nursing skills / qualifications for any declared special interests
Desirable
51. Flexibility of working hours/ able to work at the desired times
52. Experience of Primary Care
53. Car driver/clean licence
Qualities and Attributes
Essential
54. Able to demonstrate enthusiasm to developing nursing skills
55. An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality
56. Ability to use own judgement, resourcefulness and common sense
57. Ability to work without direct supervision and determine own workload priorities
58. Ability to develop a lead nurse role
59. Ability to work as part of a multi-skilled team
60. Articulate in both spoken and written word
61. Able to work under pressure
62. Able to work in a changing environment
63. Able to use own initiative
Qualifications
Essential
64. Registered General Nurse
65. Appropriate Qualifications/Diplomas/Certificates for any declared special interests
66. A demonstrable commitment to professional development
Desirable
67. Qualification in diabetes care