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Practice nurse

Practice nurses work in GP surgeries to assess, screen, treat and educate patients, and help doctors give medical care.

Average salary (a year)

£21,000 Starter

to

£35,250 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

38 to 40 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends occasionally

How to become a practice nurse

You can get into this job through:

  • applying directly

Direct application

You must be a qualified and registered adult, child, mental health or learning disability nurse to work in general practice.

You may have an advantage when applying for jobs if you've got experience in:

  • chronic disease management, like diabetes or asthma
  • childhood immunisation
  • cervical cytology
  • phlebotomy - taking blood

Some employers may also ask that you've completed a Specialist Practitioner - General Practice Nursing course, approved by the Nursing & Midwifery Council.

More information

Registration

Further information

You can find out more about becoming a practice nurse from Health Careers.

What it takes

Skills and knowledge

You'll need:

  • counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
  • knowledge of psychology
  • knowledge of teaching and the ability to design courses
  • knowledge of English language
  • sensitivity and understanding
  • patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
  • the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
  • to be flexible and open to change
  • being able to use a computer terminal or hand-held device may be beneficial for this job.

Restrictions and requirements

You'll need to:

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

Your day-to-day duties may include:

  • setting up and running clinics for conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart problems and skin disorders
  • offering advice on family planning and contraception
  • taking blood and urine samples and other specimens and swabs
  • performing routine procedures like ear syringing, applying and removing dressings and treating wounds
  • offering specialist information and advice on blood pressure, weight control and stopping smoking
  • carrying out infant injections, vaccinations and travel immunisations
  • giving advice to patients on long-term medical and nursing needs

Working environment

You could work at a GP practice.

Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.

You may need to wear a uniform.

Career path and progression

You could specialise in health promotion, chronic disease management, diabetes or asthma care.

With experience and qualifications you could become a nurse practitioner, managing your own caseload of patients.
 
You could also move into management, teaching or research.

Training opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for a practice nurse right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

Access to Nursing Midwifery & Allied Professions Level 3

  • Provider: OLDHAM COLLEGE
  • Start date: 02 September 2019
  • Location: OLDHAM

Access to Nursing

  • Provider: WEST THAMES COLLEGE
  • Start date: 09 September 2019
  • Location: Middx
Find courses near you

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