Sudbury Surgery is looking for a practice nurse to join the team. We currently have 37.5 hours a week available and can be flexible on working times but must cover a mixture of morning and afternoon appointments for maximum patient access. Leadership qualities are desirable and salary is dependent on experience. The post holder would be the Infection Control Lead. Interviews by appointment.
Job Description
The post holder is responsible for the delivery of general practice nursing services to the practice population and providing nursing assistance to all clinicians. Supported by the practice, they will deliver care within the boundaries of their role, supporting patients to be healthy, monitoring long-term conditions, health prevention and screening activities. They will work collaboratively within the practice team to meet the needs of patients and supporting the delivery of policy and procedures.
Job Responsibilities:
· Assess and deliver up to date travel health advice including the administration of vaccines under patient group directions and verbal and written advice on appropriate travel health information. (e.g. malaria prophylaxis, bite prevention, safe sex, food hygiene, sun protection etc)
· Implement and participate in immunisation and vaccination programmes for both children and adults under patient group directions.
· Review and document data using agreed READ codes to ensure accurate retrieval of information for monitoring and audit purposes.
· Deliver opportunistic health promotion, facilitating change in an holistic manner to include smoking, alcohol, diet and exercise as appropriate.
· Assessing and sign-posting appropriately those patients presenting opportunistically with minor illness.
· Document telephone and surgery consultations according to NMC guidelines.
· Ensure awareness of statutory and local clinical protection procedures, including systems of referral and the ability to recognise signs and symptoms of child abuse.
· Promote and deliver evidence-based care for patients presenting with aural conditions.
· Promote and deliver the Cervical Cytology Screening Programme to all eligible patients.
· Implement and evaluate personalised treatment plans for patients with long term conditions in accordance with practice policies.
· Perform venepuncture according to local guidelines.
· Assess and deliver evidence-based wound care management in line with ICB and Practice formulary including the removal of clips and sutures.
· Undertake Spirometry, ECGs and Urinalysis as appropriate.
· Prioritise health problems and intervene appropriately to treat the patient in emergency situations, including anaphylaxis according to the current UK guidelines.
· Assist clinicians in the provision of minor surgery.
· Obtain and document informed consent, verbal or written as appropriate including the use of Fraser Guidelines when necessary.
· Apply infection control measures in accordance with local and national guidelines, including the annual infection control audit.
· Ensure safe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines as per The Green Book.
· Ensure stock of drugs and medical consumables are rotated and maintained to agreed levels.
· Lead on Infection Control for the surgery.
Training and personal development
· Training requirements will be monitored by annual appraisal and will be in accordance with practice requirements. Personal development will be encouraged and supported by the Practice. It is the individuals’ responsibility to remain up to date with recent developments.
· Annual appraisal will facilitate an assessment of your training needs and that of the practice. It is your responsibility to remain up to date with recent developments.
· Personal development is encouraged and supported by the Practice.
· Participate in the education and training of students of all disciplines and the introduction of all members of the practice staff where appropriate.
· Undertake mandatory and statutory training.
· If it is necessary to expand your role to include additional responsibilities, full training will be given.
Team Working
· As well as the nursing team there is a need to work closely with management, reception, and other staff to ensure the smooth running of the practice, reporting any problems encountered to the relevant person and ensuring everyone is aware of the different roles within the nursing team.
· Maintain a good working relationship with other surgeries and agencies (e.g. Secondary Care)
· Accept delegation from other nurses, prioritise own workload and ensure effective time management.
Meetings:
· It will be necessary to attend and contribute to various Practice meetings as requested. The only reason for not attending will be annual, study or sick leave.
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 assist in promoting and maintaining their own and others’ health, safety and security as defined in the practice Health & Safety Policy, to include:
· Using personal security systems within the workplace according to practice guidelines
· Identifying the risks involved in work activities and undertaking such activities in a way that manages those risks
· Making effective use of training to update knowledge and skills
· Using appropriate infection control procedures, maintaining work areas in a tidy and safe way and free from hazards
· Reporting potential risks identified.
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 recognises 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 which is welcoming to and of the individual, is non-judgmental and respects their circumstances, feelings priorities and rights.
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 recognising the need for alternative methods of communication to overcome different levels of understanding and cultural background.
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.