Job Description

The following are the core responsibilities of the Practice Nurse in delivering health services: Support the Infection Prevention Control (IPC) lead and work to the IPC Policy Consult with patients and their families to undertake assessments of patient need Support in the long-term condition management within the organisation, including being involved with quality improvement and assurance initiatives Develop, implement and embed an effective care management programme for the frail and housebound patients registered with the organisation Support public health and screening programmes, including immunisations, vaccinations, and cervical screening and also provide opportunistic health promotion advice Embed population health management approaches within general practice, targeting health inequalities and improving access As required, provide routine nursing care to patients in accordance with clinical based evidence, NICE and the NSF Support new-to-practice nurses and other healthcare professionals within the organisation Teach and advise patients and their families on how to manage their condition Participate in clinical audits and research projects and implements changes as required, including supporting with the development, and updating of practice protocols/guidelines and procedures locally Work within national and local protocols where these exist Recognise the boundaries of their practice and know when and to whom patients should be referred Support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements Be aware of duties and responsibilities regarding current legislation and adhere to practice policies and procedures on Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children Participate 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 programmes Contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance Support the practice team with the reviewing and implementation of practice policies and protocols, ensuring conformance to extant legislation Attend a formal appraisal with their manager at least every 12 months. Once a performance/training objective has been set, progress will be reviewed on a regular basis so that new objectives can be agreed Lead on public health campaigns (e.g., flu clinics) Provide travel advice services Provide wound care (ulcer/Doppler, etc.) to patients Maintain accurate clinical records in conjunction with extant legislation ensuring that SNOMED CT codes are used effectively Contribute to practice targets (QOF, etc.), complying with relevant guidance Maintain chronic disease registers and implement an effective call/recall system Maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area at all times Chaperone patients where necessary. Support the team in dealing with clinical emergencies Liaise with external services/agencies to ensure the patient is supported appropriately (vulnerable patients, etc.) There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks, this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels In addition to the primary responsibilities, the Practice Nurse has the following wider responsibilities: Develop, review and implement nursing protocols in conjunction with the partners Participate in local initiatives to enhance service delivery and patient care Support and participate in shared learning in order to improve patient care Coordinate the nursing team rota, ensuring sufficient staff are available to meet patient needs Support with the planning and implementation of changes within the nursing team, enhancing the provision of services to patients Support in the coordination of the nursing team rota