Presteigne Medical Centre

PRESTEIGNE MEDICAL CENTRE

JOB DESCRIPTION

JOB TITLE:NURSE PRACTITIONER

REPORTS TO:THE PARTNERS (Clinically)

THE PRACTICE MANAGER (Administratively)

HOURS: hours per week negotiable

Job summary:

The post holder is an experienced nurse who will act within their professional boundaries to provide care for the presenting patient from initial history taking, clinical assessment, diagnosis, treatment and evaluation of care. They will demonstrate safe, clinical decision making and expert care for patients within the surgery.

The Nurse Practitioner will have the ability and training to work autonomously yet collaboratively within the team,provide clinical care and support colleagues both clinically and operationally.

SCOPE AND PURPOSE OF THE ROLE

To deliver a high standard of patient care as nurse practitioner in general practice, using advanced autonomous clinical skills and a broad and in-depth theoretical knowledge base
To manage a clinical caseload dealing with presenting patient’s needs in a primary care setting.
To provide clinical support and leadership and when required, absence cover, to the practice nursing team
To monitor and review nurse training and appointment templates, with the practice manager.

Job responsibilities:

CLINICAL ROLE

Provide direct access to a NP, both in the Practice and over the telephone, for the general practice population
Make professionally autonomous decisions for which he/she is accountable
Provide a first point of contact within the Practice for patients presenting with undifferentiated, undiagnosed problems, making use of skills in history taking, physical examination, problem-solving and clinical decision-making, to establish a diagnosis and management plan
Instigate necessary invasive and non-invasive diagnostic tests or investigations and interpret findings/reports
Where the post holder is an independent prescriber, prescribe safe, effective and appropriate medication as defined by current legislative framework
Provide safe, evidence-based, cost-effective, individualised patient care
Offer a holistic service to patients and their families, developing where appropriate an on-going plan of care/support, with an emphasis on prevention and self-care
Promote health and well-being through the use of health promotion, health education, screening and therapeutic communication skills
Refer patients directly to other services/agencies as appropriate
Work with nursing, medical and health care assistant colleagues to ensure that national guidance is followed
Work with multi-disciplinary team within the Practice and with other service providers to promote integrated and seamless pathways of care
Contribute to the practice achieving its quality targets to sustain the high standards of patient care and service delivery
Help develop and set up new patient services and participate in initiatives to improve existing patient services
Provide assessment, screening treatment services and health education advice including:

Dietary advice, Blood pressure checks, Urinalysis, Health screening, Cervical smears, Dressings, ECG, Phlebotomy, Routine injections, Contraception, Minor injuries, Routine immunisations and vaccinations, Removal of sutures/clips, Baby immunisations, Assisting with the fitting of IUCD/ IUS, First registration checks/health surveillance/general health advice, assisting with minor procedures in the treatment room.

Organise and coordinate the provision of nursing services for the practice to include the delegation of duties to other members of the practice nurse team as appropriate

PROFESSIONAL ROLE

Promote evidence-based practice through the use of the latest research-based guidelines and the development of practice-based research.

Monitor the effectiveness of their own clinical practice through the quality assurance strategies such as audit and peer review
Initiate and/or take part in audit and research

Maintain their professional registration
Manages own CPD (support from the surgery may be negotiated)
Maintains own professional portfolio
Participate in continuing professional development opportunities to ensure that up-to-date evidence-based knowledge and competence in all aspects of the role is maintained
Provide summary feedback of updates and learning points following courses / meetings as appropriate
Work within the latest NMC Professional Code

PRACTICE SPECIFIC REQUIREMENTS

Administration and professional responsibilities

Attendance at practice meetings as requested. The only reason for none attendance will be annual, study or sick leave
Attendance at Protected time sessions and other learning occasions

Ensure accurate and legible notes of all consultations and treatments are recorded in the patient’s notes using practice template where applicable
Ensure the clinical computer system is kept up to date, with accurate details recorded and amended
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 and audit
Restocking and maintenance of clinical areas and consulting rooms

Minor operations

Management of the treatment room, including maintenance of equipment and stock, adequate staffing and ensuring appropriate items of service claims are made
To assist the doctor to carry out minor operations as required

Supplies and equipment

Maintenance of equipment and stock relating to patient care

Liaison

Work closely with nursing team, reception, and admin staff to ensure the smooth running of the practice, reporting any problems encountered to the practice manager and ensuring everyone is aware of the different roles within the nursing team.
There is also the need to establish and maintain good liaison with other surgeries and agencies, including secondary care

Manage, supervise, co-ordinate and guide the nursing team

To manage the nursing service in participation with the practice manager, ensuring relevant information is disseminated to and from the nursing staff
To ensure that there is an appropriate mix of skills to provide services to the practice population
In participation with the practice manager, carry out yearly appraisals of all the nursing staff
Identify training and development needs of the nursing team and supervise their PDP’s.
To plan, chair and minute management and training meetings for all nurses following the training programme.

Ensure adequate nursing cover is provided withinpractice guidelines, keeping the practice manager informed of any problems
Provide cover for sickness and annual leave including cover for Practice Nurses when required

Develop and maintain practice policies and protocols for all nursing activity
To be the infection control lead in the practiceand ensure all staff are aware of current procedures
Ensure agreed practice audits are carried out
Ensure the practice manager is aware of any matters arising or problems / potential problems
Ensure all surgery-produced nursing leaflets are kept up to date
Manage the nursing templates to ensure accurate and data collection in line with local and national guidance.

ADDITIONAL NURSE PRACTITIONER SKILLS

There may be opportunities to expand individual NP competencies by undertaking additional training and performing the following roles if deemed necessary by the partners and/ or practice manager

Sub-dermal contraception
Inflammatory Arthritis, Gout, PMR
Minor ops
Nail avulsion
Learning difficulties
Intra-articular injections
Teaching

This list is not exhaustive but a guide to the work involved and may be subject to change as deemed necessary.

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 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):

Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
Awareness of national standards of infection control and cleanliness and regulatory / contractual / professional requirements, and good practice guidelines
Responsible for correct and safe management of the specimens process, including collection, labelling, handling, use of correct and clean containers, storage and transport arrangements
Management and maintenance of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) for the practice including provision, ordering, availability and ongoing correct usage by staff
Responsible for hand hygiene across the practice
Ownership of infection control and clinically based patient care protocols, and implementation of those protocols across the practice
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
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
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
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
Undertaking periodic infection control training (minimum twice annually)
Routine management of own team / team areas, and maintenance of work space standards
Waste management, including collection, handling, segregation, container management, storage and collection
Spillage control procedures, management and training
Decontamination control procedures, management and training, and equipment maintenance
Maintenance of sterile environments
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:

Acting in a way that recognizes the importance of people’s 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 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, such training to include:

Participation in an annual individual performance review, including taking responsibility for maintaining a record of own personal and/or professional development
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:

Alert other team members to issues of quality and risk
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 team’s performance
Work effectively with individuals in other agencies to meet patients needs
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:

Communicate effectively with other team members
Communicate effectively with patients and carers
Recognise people’s needs for alternative methods of communication and respond accordingly

Contribution to the implementation of services:

The post-holder will:

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

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