A Day in the Life - General Practice Nurse Ellie
A day in the life of a practice nurse can be a very busy day! Sometimes you never know what will walk through the door.
There are several aspects to being a practice nurse- one side is chronic disease management were we complete care plans on behalf of a doctor. This entails providing education and support to the patient and coordinating various allied health referrals as needed. The idea is to ensure patients are up to date with their health needs and keeping them out of hospital. It can be challenging but very
rewarding. We also do health assessments for various age groups which is an in-depth head to toe assessment to determine their risk factors and health needs.
The other side is working in the treatment room where hands-on clinical care is provided. Our day is filled with the typical vaccines, INR’s for warfarin patients, chronic wounds, iron infusions, skin lesion procedures and removing sutures. We also triage phone calls and walk-in patients and we are the first point of call for any emergencies that walk in.
General practice nursing will suit those who struggle with shift work and also like to work alongside a close-knit team. Unlike hospital nursing-in this field you get to know the patients very well and journey alongside them as you have regular interactions with them.
To upskill in general practice nursing can involve becoming a nursing immuniser, wound care specialist or cervical screen provider.
Some clinics allow nurses to do suturing and plastering for fractures or skin checks.
The general practice field is ever changing and there is a lot to keep up to date on in terms of CPD.
We are all about preventative health and health promotion.
My advice for people wanting to enter this field is to spend some time in the hospital setting to develop your clinical and assessment skills before entering this field. After you have some experience then explore APNA which is a great resource for people to get an understanding of practice nursing. Learn what education you need to do for this field which will help in a job interview. Practice nurses become experts in immunisations and wound care.
A nurse that protects patient privacy and advocates for patients will succeed in this role. You need to be compassionate and approachable and be ready to communicate with a diverse range of patients.
There is a level of independence with this nursing but you will work closely alongside the GP’s so be prepared to rely on them heavily as this is how the billing works in General Practice.
Sometimes the clinic can feel like a mini emergency department as anything can walk through the door but that’s what I love about this role.
