Primary Care Practice Nurse

Job Summary

We are looking for an enthusiastic Practice Nurse to join our nursing team.

Working as part of the practice multidisciplinary team you will deliver care within your scope practice to our patients.

We are interested to hear from experienced nurses who have knowledge and clinical skills in some or all of the following:

Providing vaccinations to children and adults

Travel vaccination services

Providing wound care

Doppler / ABPI and stocking measurements

Providing chronic disease clinics in areas such as COPD, Asthma, Diabetes, CKD, CHD, delivering patient care as necessary, referring patients to secondary / specialist care as required

Seasonal vaccination clinics

Cervical screening

Womens health and contraception

Phlebotomy

Based at Bampton Surgery in Bampton near Tiverton and at Clare House Surgery in Tiverton, you will provide a practice nursing service to patients.

Shifts will cover 8.30am - 6.30pm Monday to Friday. Flexibility in working days/hours and can be discussed further.

Evening and weekend working will be available at an enhanced rate but subject to a regular commitment to weekday hours. A commitment to some Saturday and evening hours is beneficial.

About us

Amicus Health is a thriving practice with five sites located in the picturesque Mid Devon area covering Clare House, Bampton, Witheridge, Morchard Bishop and Cheriton Fitzpaine surgeries. We deliver excellent primary care to over 23,000 patients thanks to our multidisciplinary clinical team of GPs, pharmacists, advanced practitioners, paramedics, practice nurses, health care assistants and a strong administrative function.

We provide fruit, tea and coffee for all staff and foster team spirit with annual summer and Christmas parties, yoga, walking groups and appreciation postcards. Other benefits include a Cycle to Work Scheme.

Responsibilities

Professional responsibilities:

To assist in and perform routine tasks related to patient care as directed by GPs. Subject to appropriate training, such tasks may include:

Phlebotomy

Requesting pathology tests, for example urine culture, swabs

Urinalysis

ECGs

Performing any investigatory procedure requested by GPs

Management of anticoagulation patients using warfarin monitoring software

Ear syringing

Cervical cytology

IUD checks

Pessary insertion and removal

Contraceptive advice

Chlamydia testing

Wound care and dressings

Removal of sutures/clips

Ulcer care

Doppler testing

New Patient Registration Checks

Routine childhood and adult immunisations following patient group directions

Travel advice and immunisation following patient group directions

Routine injections

Smoking cessation advice

Chaperoning patients who are being examined by another clinician

Assisting GPs with minor surgery and IUD fittings

Advising patients on general health care and minor ailments with referral to GPs as necessary

Undertaking occasional home visits as required

Where appropriately qualified, to lead the routine management of patients on chronic disease registers following agreed clinical protocols and referring to GPs as appropriate:

Asthma, including reversibility testing

COPD

Coronary heart disease

Diabetes, including initiation of insulin

Hypertension

Hypothyroidism

Stroke

Administrative responsibilities:

Maintaining the general tidiness and cleanliness of the Treatment Room

Maintaining the cleaning equipment used by nurses and GPs

Assisting the Practice Manager in ensuring equipment is maintained and routinely serviced

Maintaining and rotating stock items in the Clinical Rooms and Main Store

Ensuring clinical waste is disposed of in accordance with the Clinical Waste Policy

Maintaining stock of patient leaflets as instructed by GPs and Practice Manager

Ordering of health promotion literature

Following established administrative systems within the Practice

Ensuring accurate notes of all consultations and treatments are recorded in the patient's computer record at all times

Ensuring all health and safety requirements and infection control measures are met and reporting any problems to the Practice Manager

Communicating any potential problems or errors within the range of assigned tasks to the Practice Manager

Maintaining effective liaison with other agencies and staff concerned with patient care, with appropriate regard to confidentiality

Educational responsibilities:

Maintaining a high professional standard of nursing care and keeping up to date with all aspects of nursing care relevant to the post

Maintaining a written professional development plan and an up-to-date portfolio which meets with requirements for registration with the Nursing & Midwifery Council

Attending courses and study days necessary for professional development

Participating in training in basic life-support skills in accordance with Practice guidelines

Participating in annual appraisal meetings

Maintaining familiarity with safeguarding procedures for children and vulnerable adults

Attending and participating in Practice meetings when required to contribute to the effectiveness of the team

Participating in the education and training of students

Taking special responsibility for the induction and training of nursing staff

Participating in any Practice audits

Special requirements:

To work in accordance with the Nursing & Midwifery Council Code

To be registered with the Nursing & Midwifery Council whilst employed by the Practice

To hold professional indemnity insurance cover whilst employed by the Practice

To provide evidence of immunisation against Hepatitis B

An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality with respect to patients, carers, Practice colleagues, other healthcare workers and information relating to the Practice as a business

An ability to manage own time and workload effectively

A commitment to the effective use of Practice and NHS resources

An awareness of own limitations and experience

To work closely with administrative and clinical staff applying agreed policies and procedures to ensure the smooth running of the Practice

Person Specification

Qualifications

Essential

NMC Registered Nurse

Post Registration Qualifications

Desirable

Postgraduate diploma or degree (Primary Care)

Qualifications in Diabetes, Chronic disease, respiratory care, womens health.

Experience

Essential

• Experience of working in a Primary Care environment
• Experience of working as a Practice Nurse
• Experience of Chronic Disease Management
• Clinical Knowledge and Skills

Essential

• Wound care/removal of sutures and staples
• ECGs
• Venepuncture
• New patient health checks/Urinalysis/BP/Height/Weight
• Chaperone procedure
• Requesting pathology tests and processing the results, advising patients accordingly
• Travel medicine
• Diabetes
• Hypertension
• Asthma/COPD
• Spirometry
• CHD
• LES/DES/QoF/QiF/CQC related clinical and administrative work
• Immunisations (routine, childhood and travel)
• Womens health (Cervical cytology, contraception etc.)
• Understands the importance of evidence-based practice
• Broad knowledge of clinical governance
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Ability to work within own scope of practice and to understand when to refer to GPs
• Knowledge of Infection Prevention Control including Public Health issues in the local area
• Knowledge of health promotion strategies
• Understands the requirement for PGDs, PSDs and associated policy
• Excellent communication skills (written and oral)
• Strong IT skills
• Professional clear, polite manner

Desirable

Awareness of issues within the wider health arena

EMIS skills Including Ardens Template use

Skills and Personal Attributes

Essential

Excellent communication skills (written and oral)

Strong IT skills

Professional clear, polite manner

Competent in the use of Office and Outlook

Effective time management (planning and organising)

Ability to work as a team member and autonomously

Good interpersonal skills

Problem-solving and analytical skills

Ability to follow clinical policy and procedure

Experience with audit and able to lead audit programmes

Experience with clinical risk management

Professional, polite and confident

Flexible and cooperative

Motivated, forward thinker

Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required

High levels of integrity and loyalty

Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations

Ability to work under pressure/in stressful situations

Able to communicate effectively and understand the needs of the patient

Commitment to ongoing professional development

Effectively utilises resources

Punctual and committed to supporting the team

Disclosure and Barring Service Check

This post is subject to the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (Exceptions Order) 1975 and as such it will be necessary for a submission for Disclosure to be made to the Disclosure and Barring Service (formerly known as CRB) to check for any previous criminal convictions.

UK Registration

Applicants must have current UK professional registration.

Work Location: In person