Practice Nurse
Job Description:Practice nurses work in GP surgeries to assess, screen, treat and educate patients, and help doctors give medical care.
Job Category:What you will do:
As a practice nurse you could:
- Run clinics for conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart problems and skin disorders
- Apply dressings, treat wounds and take samples of blood and urine
- Give advice on family planning, contraception, blood pressure and stopping smoking
- Carry out infant injections, vaccinations and travel immunisations
- Help patients to manage long term conditions
Skills:
You’ll need:
- Knowledge of Psychology
- Knowledge of English language
- To be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
As well as:
- Counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- The ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- Sensitivity and understanding
- Patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- To be flexible and open to change (adaptable)
- Customer service skills
Restrictions and Requirements
You’ll need to pass enhanced background checks.
Entry Requirements:
Becoming a Practice Nurse involves providing healthcare services in a primary care setting, often working in collaboration with doctors and other healthcare professionals. While specific GCSE subjects are not typically mandatory for this career, certain subjects can provide a foundation for skills and knowledge relevant to nursing and healthcare, such as:
- Science (Biology and Chemistry): Biology provides insights into human anatomy, physiology, and health-related concepts. Chemistry is important for understanding medications and their interactions.
- Mathematics: Mathematics can be useful for calculating medication dosages, interpreting test results, and managing patient records.
- English: Strong communication skills are essential for interacting with patients, documenting care plans, and collaborating with other healthcare professionals.
- Health and Social Care or Psychology (if available): These subjects can provide insights into patient care, psychology, and the social factors that influence health and well-being.
- Physical Education (PE): While not directly related, physical fitness and a healthy lifestyle are important for healthcare professionals to set a positive example for patients.
- IT or Computer Science (Optional): Proficiency in using computer systems and electronic health records is becoming increasingly important in healthcare settings.
- Languages (Optional): Knowing a second language can be advantageous, especially if you’ll be working in a diverse community where patients may have different language preferences.
Post School
You can get this job through:
Direct Application
To apply directly to work in general practice, you need to be a qualified and registered adult, child, mental health or learning disability nurse.
When applying for jobs, it might give you an advantage if you have experience in:
- Chronic disease management, like diabetes or
- Asthma
- Child immunisations
- Cervical screenings
- Taking blood samples
- You might need to do the Specialist Practitioner –
- General Practice Nursing course.
You might need to do the Specialist Practitioner – General Practice Nursing course. This is an approved programme by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Return to nursing
If you’ve been out of nursing for a while, you could do a return to general practice nursing course.
You do not need previous general practice experience. You can do work placements in the community to help you move into a general practice nurse role.
You’ll also need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Working Hours and Environment:
A typical week consists of 38-40 hours of work. You could be required to work evenings/weekends.
Career Path & Progression:
With experience you could:
- Specialise in health promotion, chronic disease management, diabetes or asthma care
- Do a further qualification to become a nurse practitioner and manage your own caseload of patients
- Move into management, teaching or research