Practice Nurse - Prescriber in Bristol

This autonomous, evidence based, and patient focused role will see the post holder cover clinical sessions for specific patient groups with long-term conditions. Forming part of a small, supportive, and established team, the post holder will play a crucial role in all aspects of nursing practice and can take lead responsibilities in areas of competency or interest. The Practice Nurse will be responsible for the management, monitoring, and clinical decision making and critical thinking required to run long-term condition clinics such as diabetes, asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), and cardiovascular disease (CVD). The focus of the role is both the delivery of evidence-based practice for patients, sometimes with complex needs, presenting with long-term conditions and acute problems that occur because of their chronic disease. Meanwhile, ensuring the provision of preventative health care to the practice population. Together with patients and their carers, the postholder will diagnose, provide specialist intervention, treatment, management, and referral to meet their needs.

Job Responsibilities

• Provide nursing care in a variety of settings by holistic assessment, implementation, and evaluation of programmes of care.
• Provide information, advice and support to patients face to face and via the telephone.
• Assess, plan, develop, implement, and evaluate treatment programmes that promote health and wellbeing.
• Assess, plan, implement and evaluate individual treatment plans for patients with a known long-term condition and who may have complex needs.
• Work with other health care professionals to diagnose, monitor, manage and treat long-term conditions, including non-drug-based treatment methods using a management plan, and in line with national and local policies and practice needs.
• 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.
• Clinically examine and assess patient needs from a physiological and psychological perspective, and plan clinical care accordingly.
• Diagnose and manage both acute and long-term conditions, integrating both drug-and non-drug-based treatment methods.
• Provide clinical support to the range of other Health Care Professionals and operational colleagues within the team.
• Undertake visits to patients' homes as required.
• Compose and ensure robust safety netting and risk management for patients presenting to the service.
• Make effective referrals to system partners and other care providers to ensure a holistic provision of care for patients' needs.
• Participate in outreach clinics providing healthcare and lifestyle advice to hard-to-reach groups.
• Promote and participate in maintaining a safe, comfortable, and therapeutic environment.
• Facilitate and support clinics such as for screening or immunisation.
• Be responsible for the safe storage and administration of drugs and equipment.
• Participate in setting and monitoring standards to ensure effective care and the delivery of evidence-based practice.
• Participate in team discussions to ensure and drive best practice, using the best available evidence to provide exemplary world-class care to every patient.

Prescribers Only

• Prescribe and review medication for therapeutic effectiveness, appropriate to patient needs and in accordance with evidence-based practice and national and practice protocols, and within scope of practice.

Communication

• Utilise and demonstrate sensitive communication styles, to ensure patients are fully informed and consent to treatment.
• Communicate with and support patients who are 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, languages, and preferred ways of communicating.
• Anticipate barriers to communication and take action to improve communication.
• Maintain effective communication with all multi-disciplinary team members, as well as with external stakeholders.
• Act as an advocate for patients and carers.
• Ensure awareness of sources of support and guidance (e.g. PALS) and provide information in an acceptable format to all patients, recognising any difficulties and referring where appropriate.
• Maintain accurate electronic written patient records for users of services provided.
• Acknowledge responsibilities under the Data Protection Act.

Other Responsibilities

The primary focus of this role is to provide clinical services to patients, however there are a wealth of opportunities to engage with and drive initiatives, take leadership development roles and contribute to service improvement.

• Adhere to organisational policies.
• Maintain active NMC or HCPC registration.
• Continue to develop and expand personal clinical expertise.
• Understand own role and scope and identify how this may develop over time.
• Challenge and critically evaluate the boundaries of autonomous practice, such that patient access, choice and outcomes will improve.
• Help in the development and evaluation of clinical guidelines, policy, competency tools and continuous improvement opportunities to support the expansion of Health Care Professional roles in the delivery of optimal care.
• Perform audit relevant to clinical area to understand current practice, review evidence-based research and drive improvement.
• Participate in research programmes as appropriate.
• Manage and assess risk within the areas of responsibility, ensuring adequate measures are in place to protect staff and patients.
• Ensure effective use of clinical stock levels.
• Supervise and support other members of staff in their practice where appropriate.
• 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.
• Attend mandatory training courses, updates and any study days as appropriate to the post.
• Attend performance and development reviews with the line manager.

Person Specification

Qualifications & Training

• Continuing professional development evidence.
• Current NMC registration.
• Long-term condition management qualification or workplace experience and willingness to work towards it.
• Leadership capability, either through a formal management qualification or previous experience.
• Advanced Level (3) Clinical Assessment, Reasoning and Clinical Decision Making (PACR) or equivalent workplace experience and willingness to work towards it.
• Training in sexual health and contraception to diploma level.

Knowledge and Experience

• Experience of treating patients of all ages (from neonatal to geriatric).
• Experience of autonomous clinical decision making.
• Knowledge and understanding in meeting the needs of diverse groups.
• Experience of working in a multidisciplinary environment with a wide range of individuals at different levels.
• Knowledge of delivery of Health Care Advice and Health Promotion.
• Knowledge of equal opportunities and its significance for health care.
• Understanding of legal and ethical issues / responsibilities relating to clinical practice.
• Understanding of key legislative frameworks including data protection, information governance, consent, and capacity.
• Understanding of the Quality Outcomes Framework (QOFs).
• Experience of developing relationships with external agencies and organisations.
• Knowledge and understanding of diversity and patients with gender dysphoria.
• Experience working with people with a forensic history.
• Experience with people who don't have English as a first language.
• Experience with people experiencing domestic violence.
• Experience using EMIS computer software.
• Experience with hard-to-reach groups.
• Experience in general practice.
• Understanding of the evolving NHS structure.
• Understanding of the Care Quality Commission and its role in primary care.

Skills, Abilities and Attributes

• Motivated by the provision of high-quality patient care.
• Good clinical judgment and decision-making skills.
• Ability to maintain accurate records.
• Ongoing commitment to personal development.
• Use own initiative and achieve measurable improvement against stated objectives.
• Work under pressure and handle emergency situations and difficult clients professionally.
• Organised, systematic and flexible, good time management, prioritising work under pressure.
• Maintain confidentiality regarding staff and patients.
• Remain impartial and non-judgemental during times of sensitivity, stress, and potential conflict.

Other

• Work flexibly in relation to operational times of all services (may include unsocial hours).
• Travel to other BrisDoc and external sites for meetings.
• Disclosure and Barring Service Check required – the post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and a submission for Disclosure to the Disclosure and Barring Service will be required.
• Please note: Sponsorship is not available for this role. We reserve the right to close, extend or amend the closing date depending on the level of interest in the role.