Practice Nurse (with interest in Diabetes)

As a member of the Watling Street Practice nursing team, you will be working from our surgery in Stony Stratford, Milton Keynes.

We are seeking a compassionate and dedicated Practice Nurse with an interest in diabetes to join our clinical team; someone with excellent communication skills, a strong sense of empathy, and the ability to work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

If youre passionate about making a positive impact on patients lives and are ready to contribute to a hardworking, collaborative clinical team, we encourage you to apply.

Our ethos is to treat patients as we would expect our family members to be treated. We are proud of our caring and supportive team approach and it is important that the successful applicant fits well within our team.

We pride ourselves on being a modern, forward thinking general practice whilst retaining traditional values.

As Watling Street Practice, our three sites are within Stony Stratford, Great Holm and Shenley Church End. We are part of the Watling Street Primary Care Network and have a community team including nurses, social prescribers and social work assistant supporting our patient populations.

We strive to provide high quality, readily accessible medical and preventative health care within a well organised, efficient, up-to-date, friendly and caring environment.

Practice Nursing Responsibilities and Duties

• Provide nursing services to patients, including treatment, screening, advice and minor therapeutic procedures
• Run clinics for patients including vaccinations, cervical cytology, contraception reviews and wound care to include removal of sutures and leg ulcers.
• To undertake diagnostic tests including blood glucose monitoring and urine analysis
• To take and despatch safely laboratory specimens including blood, urine, swabs and smears
• To provide treatment for cuts and bruises, dressings of wounds and leg ulcers and removal of sutures
• To provide immunisations for all ages and diseases and to know the contra-indications and side effects of vaccinations
• To provide telephone advice to patients and occasional home visits where appropriate and within levels of competence
• Helping to maintain a positive, patient focussed culture
• Helping to maintain a positive, supportive culture across the whole of the practice team

Diabetes Nursing Responsibilities and Duties

• To run special diabetic clinics for patients
• Give patients appropriate dietary and lifestyle advice
• Development of individual patient management plans
• Assist in the formulation of appropriate diabetic protocols
• Monitor the overall practice performance in the area of diabetes
• In-depth knowledge about the use of oral hypoglycaemias and to be able to educate patients appropriately
• In-depth knowledge about the use of insulin and to be confident advising patients on how to administer insulin and adjust doses
• Identify high risk patients and liaise with the community diabetic team where appropriate
• Awareness of how to manage diabetic emergencies and to educate patients appropriately
• Providing assessment, screening and treatment services and health education advice
• Provide nursing treatments to patients in participation with general practitioners or independently to agreed protocols
• Provide general and specific health screenings to the practice patients (within agreed protocols) with referral to general practitioners as necessary
• Advise patients on general health care and minor ailments with referral to GPs as necessary
• Assist in and perform routine tasks related to patient care as directed by senior nursing staff and GPs
• Following agreed clinical protocols with referral to senior nurses or GPs as appropriate

Additional Expectations

• An understanding, acceptance and adherence to the need for strict confidentiality
• Ability to use own judgment, resourcefulness and common sense.
• A commitment to maintain a high professional standard of nursing care and keep up to date with all aspects of nursing care relevant to the post
• A commitment to ensure all Health and Safety requirements and Infection Control measures are met and to report any problems to the Practice Manager
• A commitment to the effective use of practice and NHS resources.
• An awareness of own limitations and experience
• To work only in accordance with the UKCC Code of Conduct and within the scope of professional practice
• To have a written professional development plan and to maintain an up-to-date portfolio which meets the requirements of registration with the UKCC