Practice Nurse

To provide a high standard of comprehensive general practice nursing duties to a defined practice population, under the supervision of, and in collaboration with the Senior Practice Nurses and GP colleagues. To assess, plan and provide health care and nursing services to the practice patients in conjunction with senior clinical colleagues ensuring they are effective, relevant and of a high standard.

Main duties of the job

• This will include clinical duties, health promotion, chronic disease management, health screening and treatment in line with the professional competence of the post-holder.
• To assist in the development and implementation of patient services in accordance with local and national health imperatives and the practice contract.
• To assist the team to meet and maintain excellent clinical standards, meeting all relevant quality and performance indicators.
• This work will be undertaken with consideration of the practice's values, mission and vision.

Job responsibilities

Job Purpose: To support the Partners and Practice Director in delivering the Vision, Mission and Values of the Bromley by Bow Health partnership.

Job Summary: To provide a high standard of comprehensive general practice nursing duties to a defined practice population, under the supervision of, and in collaboration with the Senior Practice Nurses and GP colleagues. To assess, plan and provide health care and nursing services to the practice patients in conjunction with senior clinical colleagues ensuring they are effective, relevant and of a high standard.

Main duties and responsibilities:

• Clinical:
• Chronic disease management
• Offer advice about childhood and adult vaccinations and administer vaccines within the relevant legal framework.
• Provide health promotion on the basis of holistic assessments and lifestyle advice on diet, smoking, alcohol intake and exercise.
• Assess problems presented opportunistically by patients, dealing with minor illness and injuries.
• Assist patients to identify their health needs and self-care capacities.
• Accurately document consultations according to practice policy.
• Recognise and report signs and symptoms of child and vulnerable adult abuse.
• Assess condition of patients attending for ear irrigation and implement treatment.
• Perform cervical screening.
• Provide a holistic approach to wound management and implement wound care in line with current evidence based guidelines.
• Suture removal.
• Able to recognise and manage anaphylaxis according to current UK guidelines.
• Able to perform cardio-pulmonary resuscitation according to current UK guidelines.
• Assist in IUCD fitting.
• Chaperone patients at request of staff or patients.
• Obtain and document informed consent (either verbal or written).
• Implement infection control guidelines.
• Monitor and manage maintenance of stock and equipment, including vaccines refrigerator and emergency equipment.
• Management and administration:
• Contribute to the assessment of service requirements and implementation.
• Contribute a nursing perspective to the practice development plan.
• Contribute to the development of practice protocols and policies as required.
• Manage and organise personal workload.
• Attend team meetings.
• Support and implement the practice clinical governance agenda.
• Identify changes to clinical practice that are required to implement evidence-based guidelines.
• Play a significant role in the development of immunisation and health promotion campaigns.
• To be accountable with the senior practice nurses for nursing resources.
• Personnel:
• Maintain good working relations.
• Take reasonable care of his/her own safety and that of other persons who may be affected by his/her act or omission.
• Co-operate with the practice to ensure all members of the team adhere to statutory regulations/policies, codes of practice and safety rules.
• Offer innovative ways of working and opportunities to facilitate learning.
• Teach skills and knowledge to more junior or less experienced staff.
• Professional Responsibilities and Development
• Participate in clinical supervision.
• Be aware of and act in accordance with national policy procedures and legislation and NMC standards at all times.
• Be aware of personal and professional developmental needs, maintain a personal and professional development plan and personal profile, using the appraisal system to update annually.
• Participate in practice-based learning and attend training courses relevant to your development plan or as required by national or local policy and professional requirements.
• Be willing to extend your role within the practice (should appraisal indicate) in agreement with the partners.
• The post holder is expected to maintain the standards of professional behaviour of the practice and professional bodies.
• To carry out other duties commensurate with the grade as directed by the nurse partner.

General requirements for all staff.

• Flexibility: The post holder will be expected to undertake additional duties as the requirements of the post changes.
• 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.
• Health & Safety: The post-holder will assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others health safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy.
• Infection control: Infection control is everyone's responsibility in a health care setting.
• Equality and Diversity: The post-holder will support the equality and diversity and rights of patients, carers and colleagues.
• Personal /Professional Development: The post-holder will participate in any training programme implemented by the practice as part of this employment.
• Quality: The post-holder will strive to maintain quality within the practice.
• Communication: The post-holder should recognize the importance of effective communication within the team.

Person Specification

• Qualifications: RGN. Teaching and assessing. (ENB 998 or equivalent) Trained in immunisation, basic life support and management of anaphylaxis, wound care, safeguarding, infection control, information governance.
• Nursing qualification and or experience in more than one area of chronic disease.
• Knowledge and skills: Expertise within clinical field and relevant theoretical knowledge.
• Communication and relationships: Possesses excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Clinical competencies: Wound care, health promotion, medical and drug taking history.
• Information management: Maintains accurate, contemporaneous patient records.
• Resources: Able to use resources efficiently.
• Planning: Able to plan and prioritise own workload, assists in organization clinics.
• Teaching: Able to teach junior staff and students.
• Service development: Assists in audits.

Experience: Minimum of 2 years post registration experience. Experience in primary care setting.

Disclosure and Barring Service Check: This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.