Job summary
Ash trees surgery are a forward thinking, training practice. We cover 6 sites in Carnforth, Milnthorpe, Arnside, Silverdale, Halton and Bolton le sands.
General Practice Nurses work as part of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) within GP surgeries and assess, screen and treat patients across the lifespan. In addition to providing traditional aspects of nursing care, such as childhood immunisations, cervical cytology and administration of medicines, they run clinics for patients with Long Term conditions such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes. They also offer new patient health checks, NHS Health Checks and well women/ men clinics. Health promotion advice is offered in areas such as contraception, weight loss, smoking cessation and travel immunisations.
Main duties of the job
1. Chronic disease management- working with the patient holistically to form plans of care
2. wound care
3. immunisations and vaccinations including children
4. Cervical screening
5. NHS health checks and lifestyle advice
6. Contraception services
7. Venepuncture
About us
We have a fabulous General practice team, including Nurses, Health care support workers ,Advanced Nurse Practitioners, paramedics, Physios, GP's, Mental health workers, pharmacists and supportive Reception and administrative teams.
Even though we are spread across 6 sites to maintain effective care for patients, we aim to provide a supportive learning environment and team cohesion.
Job description
Job responsibilities
JOB TITLE: General Practice Nurse (GPN)
REPORTS TO: Practice nurse team Leader/Clinical services Manager
ACCOUNTABLETO: PARTNERS (Clinical)
PRACTICE MANAGER (Organisational / Administrative)
SUMMARY OF THEPOSITION
To provide clinical nursing service andsupport to other professionals and to patients of the practice includingtreatment, screening, chronic disease management and advice within theprofessional competence of the post holder. Support and work effectively withinthe clinical team.
All duties will be carried out inaccordance with the NMC Code of Professional Conduct and with regard to thevarious practice protocols. The nurse ispart of a nursing team responsible for ensuring that the practice provides anoptimum service of nursing care relevant to the practice population.
Definition of a General Practice Nurse
GeneralPractice Nurses work as part of a multidisciplinary team (MDT) within GPsurgeries and assess, screen and treat patients across the lifespan. Inaddition to providing traditional aspects of nursing care, such as childhoodimmunisations, cervical cytology and administration of medicines, they runclinics for patients with Long Term conditions such as asthma, heart diseaseand diabetes. They also offer new patient health checks, NHS Health Checks andwell women/ men clinics. Health promotion advice is offered in areas such ascontraception, weight loss, smoking cessation and travel immunisations.
MAIN RESPONSIBILITIES OF POST
1. Meeting patients nursing care needs asidentified, or where care has been transferred to them by a GP. This will usually be in surgery butoccasional home visits will also be required.
2. Initiating and maintaining healthscreening and promotion clinics for identified areas of the practicepopulation, recognising where modification of systems or referral is necessary.
3. Managing the nursing care of patientswith chronic disease, employing personal recall systems suitable to thepractice needs. This includes using the practice computer systems for input ofinformation for recall and screening purposes.
4. The following clinics are offered at AshTrees Surgeries:
Asthma / COPD
Diabetes
Hypertension
Cardiovascular Disease
Travel Vaccination Clinic
Cervical Smears
Family Planning and womens health
INR Monitoring
NHS health checks
Amending or adding to services as needsare identified.
5. Maintaining efficient liaison with allareas of the Primary Care Team and other agencies to assure continuity of carewhere necessary.
6. Routine treatment in general clinics andgeneral Treatment Room skills, including:
ClinicalNursing Practice
WoundManagement:
o Undertakedressings- includes post op and chronic wounds
o Sutureand clip removal
Screening
o Undertakescreening including: BP checks, height, and weight, BMI, Urinalysis, smoking status.
o Undertakevenepuncture according to practice protocol
o ECGs
HealthPromotion:
o Makebasic assessment of needs of patients
o Providenutritional advice for:
o Weight/BMI
o CHD/cholesterol
o Diabetes
o Understandpatients motivation to adapt their lifestyle, use motivational techniques to support patients with these changes.
o Offerlifestyle advice on smoking and exercise and refer as appropriate
Vaccinationsand Immunisations
o Administerinjections under an individualised prescription or Patient Group Directive.
o Tocontinually update your knowledge of the implications of immunisation andcontra indications
o Ensuresafe storage, rotation and disposal of vaccines and drugs.
InfectionControl
o Supportpatients and colleagues in adopting sound infection control measures.
o Applyinfection control measures within the practice according to local and nationalguidelines.
o Thisincludes:
o Universal hygiene precautions
o The collection and handling of laboratoryspecimens
o Segregation and disposal of waste materials
o Decontamination of instruments and clinicalequipment
o Reporting and treatment of sharps injuries
o Dealing with blood and body fluid spillages
EmergencyManagement
o Tobe competent in anaphylaxis and resuscitation techniques
o attend updates when required
WomensHealth
o Havea working knowledge of the national and local Cervical Cytology and mammographyscreening programmes
o Candiscuss breast self awareness and provide supporting literature to patients
o Provideinformation on family planning and menopause
ClinicalPractice Leadership
o Assistin clinical audit and the setting up and monitoring of standards of care.
o Assistand teach others in clinical setting, including unqualified staff
o Actas assessor/mentor to other staff where necessary
o Workeffectively in the team.
GeneralDuties
o Tomaintain accurate patient records on the computer
o Tocollect data and participate in regular practice audit and research projectswhen required
o Tolog and dispatch specimens to the hospital
o Toassist the Practice Nurses in the provision of Health Promotion and ChronicDisease Management
Education
o Tomaintain continuous professional development in keeping with the requirementsof the practice.
o Toparticipate in training of other personnel as appropriate, includingunqualified staff.
o Tocontribute to the preparation of the Practice and Professional DevelopmentPlan.
Informationand
o Facilitategood communication systems within the practice with the use of computerisedmessages.
o Extrapolateinformation received by outside agencies and bring to the notice of allclinicians wherever necessary.
o Undertakeall training and attend any computer data input and retrieval meetings deemednecessary by the Practice Manager to manage the clinical system effectively.
PatientLiaison
o Beavailable to deal with any patient query that may prove to beyond the abilityof the medical receptionist, and be aware of limit of own ability.
o Ensurethat all formal complaints are passed onto the Practice Manager for immediateaction
Additional skillsrequired for the post
Anability to prioritise and balance routine administrative tasks againstimportant management issues of the surgery
Organisationalskills required to run a clinic, managing own workload, prioritising resources.
Abilityto contribute to future practice policies and growth
Excellentcommunication skills written/verbal
Useavailable resources effectively
Makebalanced and appropriate decisions
Developand implement new ideas to improve performance
Communicateeffectively with the Doctors, Practice Manager, the team, colleagues andoutside agencies
Performin a cost-effective manner to eliminate waste and to help the organisation torun economically
Workingknowledge of clinical software
Basicknowledge of computer hardware
Theabove is not a complete list of all tasks to be undertaken, but a sample of thetype of work you will be asked to undertake.
ProfessionalRegistration
Youwill be expected to maintain your own annual registration with the NMC.
Youwill also be expected to be conversant with the NMC code of ProfessionalConduct and understand the importance of professional accountability.
Person Specification
Experience
Essential
8. knowledge of the variety of work in General practice.
Desirable
9. Experience of work in the community/ General practice
Qualifications
Essential
10. RGN level 1
Desirable
11. experience/ qualifications in chronic disease management
12. Venepuncture
13. Cervical screening
14. Experience of EMIS