Job Responsibilities Assist in and perform routine tasks related to patient care as directed by senior nursing staff and GPs. Such tasks may include: Removal of sutures Urinalysis ECGs Cervical screening Peak flow readings Venepuncture Blood pressure measurements Caring for a patient with a long term condition. Routine immunisations and vaccinations including adults, children/babies, travel and seasonal flu. Chaperoning and assisting patients where appropriate who are being examined by another clinician Administering swabs including MRSA swabs Requesting basic pathology tests, for example urine culture, swabs Following agreed clinical protocols with referral to senior nurses or GPs as appropriate Working independently of other clinical staff Other tasks including: Maintaining and cleaning equipment used by the nurses and GPs Undertake housekeeping duties including, general tidiness and cleanliness of nurses and treatment rooms Ordering of vaccinations to maintain stock levels Attend and participate in any Practice meetings when required Quality, administration and professional responsibilities An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality. Ability to use own judgment, resourcefulness and common sense. Effectively manage own time, workload and resources. A commitment to maintain a high professional standard of nursing care and keep up to date with all aspects of nursing care relevant to the post. Ensure accurate and legible notes of all consultations and treatments are recorded in the patients notes. A commitment to ensure all Health and Safety requirements and Infection Control measures are met and to report any problems to management. Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk. An awareness of own limitations, experience and recognise and work within own competence and professional code of conduct as regulated by the NMC. To have a written professional development plan and to maintain an up to date portfolio to meet the requirements of registration. Co-operate with annual appraisals. 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. Produce accurate and complete records of patient consultation, consistent with legislation, policies and procedures and ensure the clinical computer system is kept up to date. Understand and apply legal issues that support the identification of vulnerable and abused children and adults, and be aware of statutory child/vulnerable patients health procedures and local guidance. 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 Personal and people development Support staff development 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 or actions that are not in the interest of the public and/or users of services. 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 assessment of competence. Create clear referral mechanisms to meet patient need. Management of risk Manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients. Monitor work areas and practices to ensure they are safe and free from hazards and conform to health, safety and security legislation, policies, procedures and guidelines. Ensure appropriate supervision of safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs. Oversee the monitoring, stock control and documentation of controlled drug usage according to legal requirements where appropriate. Advocate for policies that reduce environmental health risks, are culturally sensitive and increase access to health care for all. Managing information Use technology and appropriate software as an aid to management in planning, implementation and monitoring of care, presenting and communicating information. Review and process data using accurate read codes in order to ensure easy and accurate information retrieval for monitoring and audit processes. Understand responsibility of self and others to the practice regarding the Freedom and Information Act. Training and personal development Training requirements will be monitored by yearly appraisal and will be in accordance with practice requirements. Personal development will be encouraged and supported by the Practice. It is the individuals responsibility to remain up to date with recent developments. Participate in the education and training of students of all disciplines and the introduction of all members of the Practice staff where appropriate. Maintain continued education by attendance at courses and study days as deemed useful or necessary for professional development. If it is necessary to expand the role to include additional responsibilities, full training will be given. Develop and maintain a Personal Learning Plan. 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 implement and lead on a full range of promotion and management of their own and others health and safety and infection control as defined in the Practices Health & Safety policy/manual and the Practices Infection Control policy and published procedures. This will include (but will not be limited to): 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. Responsible for the correct use of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). Responsible for own hand hygiene 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. 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. 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. Waste management including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection. Spillage and decontamination control procedures and equipment maintenance. 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 recognises 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. Contribution to the Implementation of Services 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.