Job responsibilities

The following are the core responsibilities of the PCN Nursing Associate in delivering health services. There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks. This will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels:

• Deliver high quality, compassionate care whilst undertaking specific clinical and care tasks under the direction of a registered nurse (or other registered care professional dependent on PCN) with a focus on promoting good health and independence
• Provide high-quality holistic and person-centred care to individuals
• Provide routine care to patients as required in accordance with clinical based evidence, NICE and the NSF
• Provide wound care, dressings and other clinical tasks as required
• Work as part of the PCNs MDT to provide and monitor care, under direct or indirect supervision
• Improve safety and quality of care at every opportunity
• Contribute to the delivery of integrated care
• Work with the PCN MDT to ensure the delivery of Nursing Associate duties complements the existing workforce
• Work with a supervisor to take responsibility for developing own clinical competence, leadership and reflective practice skills within the workplace and enable the Nursing Associate to deal effectively with the difficult issues that people present
• Provide support and supervision to training nursing associates, healthcare assistants, apprentices and those on learning assignments/placements as required
• Support registered nurses to enable them to be able to focus on the more complex clinical care
• Develop relationships across the MDT to support the integration of the role across health and social care including primary care, secondary care and mental health
• Maintain accurate and contemporaneous patient health records ensuring that clinical data is appropriately recorded with SNOMED codes
• Perform and record clinical observations, including appropriate coding, such as blood pressure, temperature, respirations and pulse
• After undertaking additional training, provide flu vaccinations, ECGs and venepuncture and other relevant clinical tasks as required by the PCN in line with the competencies of the role
• Promote the health and wellbeing to all patients, for example undertaking the NHS health check
• Provide wound care (ulcer/Doppler etc.) to patients
• Provide support during minor operations as required
• Advise patients on general healthcare and promote self-management where appropriate, including signposting patients to personalised care colleagues and local community and voluntary sector services
• Communicate proactively and effectively with all MDT colleagues across the PCN, attending and contributing to meetings as required
• Be aware of duties and responsibilities regarding current legislation and adhere to practice policies and procedures on Safeguarding Adults and Safeguarding Children
• Process pathology results as required
• Enhance own performance through continuous professional development, imparting own knowledge and behaviours to meet the needs of the service
• Contribute to and embrace the spectrum of clinical governance
• Attend a formal appraisal with your 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
• Contribute towards public health and screening programmes, including immunisations and vaccinations, including the childhood immunisation programme
• Support and deliver health promotion and wellbeing programmes including any opportunistic delivery
• Maintain a clean, tidy, effective working area
• Be an integral part of the general practice team, working in each practice and across the PCN, as well as supporting the wider multi-disciplinary team
• Recognise boundaries of own practice and know when and to whom patients should be referred
• Demonstrate initiative and be creative in finding solutions to problems
• Provide supervision to student Nurse Associates
• Support in the delivery of enhanced services and other service requirements on behalf of the PCN
• Support 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
• There may be, on occasion, a requirement to carry out other tasks, this will be dependent upon factors such as workload and staffing levels

Qualifications

Essential

• Registered nursing associate and on the Nursing and Midwifery Council register
• Meets the specific qualification and training requirements as specified in the Nursing Midwifery Standards of proficiency by having undertaken and completed the two-year Foundation Degree delivered by a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved provider

Experience

Essential

• Ability to work effectively as a team player under appropriate supervision and as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Insight into how to evaluate own strengths and development needs, seeking advice where appropriate
• Understanding of the scope of the role of the Nursing Associate in the context of the nursing and interdisciplinary team and the organisation and how the role may contribute to service development

Desirable

• Experience of working in a primary care environment
• Experience of quality initiatives, i.e., benchmarking

Other Requirements

Essential

• Disclosure Barring Service (DBS) check
• Occupational Health clearance
• Meet the requirements and produce evidence for revalidation
• Willingness to work flexible hours when required to meet work demands
• Access to own transport and ability to travel across the locality on a regular basis

Personal Qualities

Essential

• Effective time management (planning and organising)
• Demonstrate personal accountability, emotional resilience and work well under pressure
• Ability to follow legal, ethical and professional policies/ procedures and codes of conduct
• Ability to listen, empathise with people and provide person centred support in a non-judgemental way
• Understand the requirement for PSDs and associated policy
• Ability to use own initiative, discretion, and sensitivity
• Able to get along with people from all backgrounds and communities, respecting lifestyles and diversity
• Ability to identify risk and assess/manage risk
• Ability to work as a team member and autonomously
• Able to support people in a way that inspires trust and confidence, motivating others to reach their potential
• Sensitive and empathetic in distressing situations
• Commitment to ongoing professional development

Desirable

• Knowledge of IT systems including the ability to use word processing skills, emails and the internet to create simple plans and reports
• Problem solver with the ability to process information accurately and effectively, interpreting data as required
• Effectively utilise resources

Clinical Knowledge & Skills

Essential

• Ability to work within own scope of practice and understanding when to refer to clinical colleagues
• Ability to record accurate clinical notes
• Broad knowledge of clinical governance
• Ability to work effectively as a team player under appropriate supervision and as part of a multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to communicate with members of the public and health and care providers
• Experience of providing and receiving complex, sensitive information
• Understanding of the importance of following procedures and treatment plans
• Understanding of the importance of the promotion of health and wellbeing (Making Every Contact Count)
• Ability to communicate effectively (written, verbal and non-verbal communication) with patients/relatives and carers and all members of the multi-disciplinary team
• Ability to develop effective and appropriate relationships with people, their families, carers and colleagues

Desirable

• Experience of working in a primary care environment
• Good clinical system IT knowledge
• Chaperone experience
• Ability to take part in reflective practice and clinical supervision activities
• Ability to support, supervise, assess and act as a role model to nursing associate students, other learners and healthcare support workers as required within the clinical setting

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. For further information please see NHS Careers website (opens in a new window).