Practice Nurse

The Practice Nurse is responsible for delivering high-quality, evidence-based nursing care, including chronic disease management, health promotion and preventative care. Duties include assessing, treating and supporting patients with long-term conditions such as diabetes, COPD and asthma; providing child and adult immunisations, travel vaccinations, cervical screening and wound care; managing pathology requests and results; and supporting patients with medication and health-related needs.

The role involves maintaining accurate clinical records and disease registers, identifying and appropriately referring patients requiring specialist, mental health or external support, and contributing to safeguarding and clinical emergency procedures.

The Practice Nurse also supports GPs with minor surgery, works collaboratively with the wider clinical team, delegates appropriately within scope of practice, and provides opportunistic health promotion and wellbeing advice.

The following are

the core responsibilities of the Practice Nurse. There may be, on occasion, a

requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such

As workload and staffing levels

a.

Develop, implement and embed health promotion

and well-being programmes

b.

Implement and evaluate individual treatment

plans for chronic disease patients

c.

Identify, manage and support patients at risk of

developing long-term conditions, preventing adverse effects on patients health

d.

Provide routine nursing care to patients as

required in accordance with clinical-based evidence, NICE and the NSF

e.

Provide wound care (ulcer/Doppler etc.) to

patients

f.

Provide immunisations (childhood, seasonal etc)

to patients

g.

Provide travel medicine services

h.

Request pathology services as necessary

i.

Provide Cervical Cytology screening

j.

Process pathology results as required

k.

Provide chronic disease clinics, delivering

patient care as necessary, referring patients to secondary/specialist care as

required, in particular Diabetes, COPD and Asthma clinics

l.

Maintain accurate clinical records in

conjunction with extant legislation

m.

Ensure read codes are used effectively

n.

Maintain chronic disease registers

o.

Chaperone patients where necessary

p.

Assist GPs with minor surgery when required

q.

Prioritise health issues and intervene

appropriately

r.

Support the team in dealing with clinical

emergencies

s.

Recognise, assess and refer patients presenting

with mental health needs

t.

Implement vaccination programmes for adults and

children

u.

Support patients in the use of their prescribed

medicines or over-the-counter medicines (within own scope of practice)

v.

Liaise with external services/agencies to ensure

the patient is supported appropriately (vulnerable patients etc.)

w.

Delegate clinical responsibilities appropriately

(ensuring safe practice and that the task is within the scope of practice of

the individual

x.

Support the clinical team with all safeguarding

matters, in accordance with local and national policies

y.

Understand practice and local policies for

substance abuse and addictive behaviour, referring patients appropriately

z.

Deliver opportunistic health promotion where

appropriate

We are a small friendly team based in Seaton Carew, we are also part of Hartlepool Network. Our team consists of 2 GP Partners, 2 salaried GPs, 2 Nurses, 2 Healthcare Assistants and a team of administrators and Practice Management.

Qualifications