Practice Nurse

Position title                        Practice Nurse

Award                               Nurses Award 2023

Classification                  Level 1 

Line Manager                  General Manager

ROLE PURPOSE

To provide an exceptional standard of care to our clients by ensuring the efficient, effective, safe and timely provision of quality nursing care. This will result from the Practice Nurse exercising a significant level of initiative in the direct coordination, implementation, and evaluation of care with appropriate outcomes. This applies to practice-based or offsite nursing environments such as outreach clinics, home and community nursing.

RESPONSIBILITIES & RELATED KPIs

• Clinical / Technical Skill and Abilities:

These include, but are not limited to the following:

Clinical Nursing Services

• Triage, client assessment and care planning.
• Clinical data management.
• Liaising with Allied Health, Community Care Services, and specialist practices.
• Facilitating effective communication between patients and health care providers.
• Patient advocacy.
• Management of human and material resources.
• Optimising the use of professional resources.
• Building practice capacity to adapt to change.
• Utilise and manage resources in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
• Maintaining medical supplies/ stock control.
• Registers, recall and reminder systems.
• Monitoring and maintaining cold chain procedures and recommendations as per national and state guidelines.
• Perform clinical duties within required level of clinical competency, according to best available evidence.
• Apply nursing assessment skills and nursing practice in a safe and professional manner that reflects practice standards and guidelines and RACGP guidelines.
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of working with clients to achieve social, emotional and physical wellbeing.

Health screening/assessments:

• Older person’s health assessment (at home or in the GP clinic)
• Healthy Kids Check
• 45 year old health check
• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health checks 
• Preventative health checks and programs
• Identify patients for health checks
• PAP smear recalls

Health Promotion and Chronic Disease Management:

• Providing education and health information includes self-management and lifestyle
• Asthma education and inhaler techniques
• Diabetes education and blood glucose monitoring
• Care Plans/Cycle of Care
• GP Management Plans (GPMP)
• Maintain registers for chronic disease Assist GP with procedures as required:
• Diagnostic services, e.g. venepuncture, ECG, wound swabs, spirometry
• Wound management

Population Health:

• Immunisation
• Immunisation recalls

• Personal and Professional Development:

• Maintain and enhance current knowledge and skill base that facilitates the best possible client care.
• Maintain an active professional development program by:
  • Attendance and participation in relevant courses, workshops, lectures, tele/video conferences, evidenced by provision of an attendance record of in-service education sessions.
  • Sharing of knowledge and skills so gained with other staff via formal and informal training.
  • Provide in-services appropriate to staff sharing knowledge and skills, learning and experience.      
• Exhibit flexibility, creditability, commitment, enthusiasm and caring to staff, clients and the organisation.
• Attends annual performance review.

• Customer Service:

• Ensure clients are informed of the consent process, understand and provide consent prior to any invasive interventions.
• Explain procedures to patients, providing them with support and reassurance.
• Ensure all nursing and practice policies and procedures reflect a culturally safe and inclusive environment for all people accessing the service.
• Conduct work professionally in accordance with the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMC) Code of Professional Conduct for Nurses and the ANMC Code of Ethics for Nurses and common law and RACGP guidelines.
• Ensure that patient rights of human dignity, confidentiality and privacy and are maintained.

• Teamwork and Communication:

• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills across all ages and social groups including verbal and written.
• Liaise regularly with clinical team and management.
• Liaise with other disciplines to achieve common goals, promoting good interpersonal relationships and recognition of skills.
• Maintain a cooperative working relationship with all staff.
• Communicate effectively and accurately and document relevant information according to Kure Medical Group policies and procedures.
• Ensure behaviour is free of harassment, discrimination or victimisation towards any other person.

• Documentation and Administration:

• Document patient information in a clinically effective manner that conforms to legal requirements and Kure medical Group policy.
• Participate in the ongoing development, revision and implementation of policies and procedures within the organisation.
• Maintain confidentiality of information in compliance with privacy legislation.
• Contribute to and maintain where required data collection for statistical purposes and collate where required Department/Program data for presentation to appropriate bodies.

• Continuous Quality Improvements and Risk Management:

• Maintain awareness of current and new legislation to ensure the practice complies with all statutory and regulatory obligations including infection control, sterilisation, hazardous materials and safe handling/disposal of medical waste, records managements, OH&S and Accreditation and RACGP guidelines.
• Ensure relevant personnel are kept informed and systems and procedures for infection control and sterilisation are maintained.
• Participating in accreditation process and development of policy and procedures relevant to the practice and ongoing continuous quality improvement.
• Maintain appropriate waste and sharp disposal and collection requirements.
• Participate in and promote the value of research that contributes to development of evidence based nursing practice and improved standards of care.
• Comply with Occupational Health and Safety (OH&S) policies and procedures and the OH&S Act (of appropriate state) and related regulations.
• Report any adverse events and complaints to Human Resource Department- Incident Reporting / delegate and document according to policy and procedure.
• Identify to OH&S delegate equipment, resources or practice risk and communicate change required to maintain and further develop the delivery of effective, efficient and safe service.
• Initiate plan, maintain, evaluate and participate in Quality Improvement activities within the organisation and regularly evaluate work practices to obtain continuous quality improvement in meeting consumer and organisational expectations and to minimise or manage identified risk.

• General corporate citizenship:

• Promote and model appropriate behaviour to support Kure’s performance and brand by acting in a courteous, professional and efficient.
• Collaborate and participate as an active team member in Kure’s, meetings, training and other employee initiatives such as performance reviews as requested.
• Refrain from making public statements or issuing comments to the media unless specifically authorised by the Directors. Inform management of any issues likely to adversely affect the performance, image or public perception of the organisation. 

• Abide by all Kure Medical Group Policies and Procedures. 
• Issue Kure Medical Group with all personal documentation (e.g. leave applications, sick leave advice and change of address) accurately and promptly. 
• Adhere to Occupational Health and Safety Guidelines and use all necessary safety equipment provided, reporting any defect in any such equipment as soon as it comes to your attention.
• Ensure due care is exercised in the use of equipment issued or entrusted, and that proper maintenance is carried out on a regular basis.

PERFORMANCE EXPECTATIONS

• Performance will be evaluated periodically using the KPIs outlined.

QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE

• Registered Nurse with current registration with Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA).
• At least 2 years’ full time equivalent as a Registered Nurse in an Acute, Community Care and/or General Practice setting.
• Excellent knowledge and understanding of working with clients to achieve social, emotional and physical wellbeing.

• Superior patient care skills that reflect a professional but friendly approach to liaise effectively with a diverse range of people.
• Ability to analyse and utilise clinical data in service development and quality improvement initiatives.
• Highly motivated with excellent interpersonal and communication skills so has the ability to work effectively in a team or independently.
• Meticulous attention to detail.
• Excellent time management and organisational skills demonstrated by the ability to multi-task and remain calm under pressure.
• Possess high level of problem solving skills and the ability to make decisions as per standard operating procedures and know when to escalate issues to line manager.
• Maturity and able to maintain the strictest confidentiality as well as use initiative with discretion.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and using medical appointment and patient record systems and databases.
• Employment is subject to the incumbent providing the employer with a current and clear National Police Check.
• Preferably has a current drivers’ license.