Nursing Associate in Bacup

The post-holder is a Nursing Associate and provides fundamental nurse led care to the community. The Nursing Associate works alongside a team within general practice and is an integral part of the general practice team. The principal task is to support registered nurses to enable them to focus on the more complex clinical care of patients.

Nursing associates are an integral member of the registered nursing workforce in primary care. The nursing associate role intends to bridge the gap between health care assistants and registered nurses. A nursing associate is a registered professional who has met the standards of proficiency from the NMC, who practices under the direction of a registered nurse or registered healthcare professional. As a registered professional, the nursing associate works within the same professional code as registered nurses and will revalidate every three years.

Irwell Medical Practice is a consistently high QOF & LES achiever. In our last CQC inspection (2017), we were rated outstanding. Due to staff development, we are looking for a nursing associate, ideally with general practice experience; however, support and training will be given. We have a great nursing team with a good skill mix in a supportive environment. We are an established Training Practice with 6 Partners, 6 Salaried GPs, 5 Practice Nurses, 1 Nursing Associate, 4 Trainee Nurse Associates, 3 Healthcare Assistants and 1 Advanced Nurse Practitioner with a practice population of just over 15,000 and growing.

Working as part of a progressive and effective primary care team, the successful applicant should have at least a minimum of 1 year post-registration experience. Be highly organised, motivated, and computer literate and be able to demonstrate continuing professional development. Showing a commitment to promoting nursing in primary care is essential for this exciting post.

Main duties of the job:

• Deliver high quality, compassionate care while undertaking specific clinical and care tasks under the direction of a registered nurse (or other registered care professional) with a focus on promoting good health and independence.
• Provide high-quality holistic and person-centred care to individuals.
• Provide routine care to patients as required in accordance with clinical based evidence, NICE and the NSF.
• Work as part of the MDT to provide and monitor care, under direct or indirect supervision and ensure delivery of nursing associate duties.
• Improve the safety and quality of care at every opportunity.
• Contribute to the delivery of integrated care.
• Work with a supervisor to take responsibility for developing own clinical competence, leadership and reflective practice skills within the workplace.
• Provide support and supervision to training nursing associates, healthcare assistants, apprentices and those on learning assignments/placements as required.
• Support registered nurses to enable them to focus on the more complex clinical care.
• Develop relationships across the MDT to support the integration of the role across health and social care including primary care, secondary care and mental health.
• Maintain accurate and contemporaneous patient health records ensuring that clinical data is appropriately recorded with SNOMED codes.
• Perform and record clinical observations such as blood pressure, temperature, respirations and pulse including appropriate coding.
• After undertaking additional training, provide flu vaccinations, ECGs and venepuncture and other relevant clinical tasks as required and in line with the competencies of the role.
• Promote health and wellbeing to all patients, for example undertaking the NHS health check.
• Provide support during minor operations as required.
• Advise patients on general healthcare and promote self-management where appropriate, including signposting patients to personalised care colleagues and local community and voluntary sector services.
• Communicate proactively and effectively with all MDT colleagues, attending and contributing to meetings as required.
• Be aware of duties and responsibilities regarding current legislation and adhere to practice policies and procedures on Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children.
• Process pathology results as required.
• Enhance own performance through continuous professional development, imparting own knowledge and behaviours to meet the needs of the service.
• Contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance.
• Attend a formal appraisal with your manager at least every 12 months.
• Contribute towards public health and screening programmes, including immunisations and vaccinations.
• Support and deliver health promotion and wellbeing programmes including any opportunistic delivery.
• Maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area.
• Be an integral part of the general practice team, working in each practice and across the PCN, as well as supporting the wider multi-disciplinary team.
• Recognise boundaries of practice and know when and to whom patients should be referred.
• Demonstrate initiative and be creative in finding solutions to problems.
• Support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements on behalf of the Practice.
• Support in the management of patient complaints when requested to do so and participate in the identification of any necessary learning brought about through incidents and near-miss events.
• Undertake all mandatory training and induction programme.

There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks, this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels.

Person Specification:

• Clinical Knowledge and Skills:

• Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to clinical colleagues.
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes.
• Ability to communicate with members of the public and health and care providers.
• Good clinical system IT knowledge.
• Ability to communicate effectively (written, verbal and non-verbal communication) with patients/relatives and carers and all members of the multi-disciplinary team.
• Ability to develop effective and appropriate relationships with people, their families, carers and colleagues.

• Registered Nursing Associate and on the NMC register.

• Ability to work effectively as a team player under appropriate supervision and as part of a multi-disciplinary team.

• Effective time management (planning and organising).
• Ability to follow legal, ethical and professional policies/local policies/procedures and codes of conduct.
• Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person-centred support in a non-judgemental way.
• Understanding of safeguarding adults and children.
• Commitment to ongoing professional development.