Health Education England Video – Thinking of becoming a general practice nurse?
Kevin Dunderdale – GENERAL PRACTICE NURSE, CHERRY HINTON MEDICAL CENTRE
“I was there when I was about fourteen/fifteen with pneumonia and spent a long time in hospital and just got talking to staff and it kind of gave me a little bit of an interest.”
BEING A GENERAL PRACTICE NURSE
“Every time he’s seen me or my kids he’s always done me proud, so, can’t ask for any more than that can you.”
“When I was bit, well not a bit, but was depressed when my husband died and situations like that I would probably be perhaps coming to see her for something else, but in our discussions, you know, more personal things would perhaps come out and yes she was very understanding.”
Di Walters – ADVANCED NURSE PRACTITIONER, BARLEY SURGERY
“I feel satisfied every single day, I’ll tell you there’s no better job. Everyone is so grateful. Everyone is so grateful and that is so Lovely, you know, to hear every day thank-you, oh that was lovely, oh I didn’t feel that. You know it’s a lovely environment to work in.”
Alicia Illett – GENERAL PRACTICE NURSE, TRUMPINGTON ST MEDICAL PRACTICE
“So I wanted to go into nursing when I was about 15. It came off the back of a family member – so I got an idea for what the nurses did, different specialities. Since then I really wanted to do it that’s all I wanted to do.”
“I’ve known Di for over 20 years, so she’s watched all my children grow up and has given great advice in terms of both medical and just behaviour with children and obviously I’m in on a regular basis getting my bloods done, so we have just a really good rapport together.”
“You see whole lives, families, you know the babies I’ve vaccinated are now having babies themselves and that’s an amazing experience and also you learn so much about health how good behaviour and not smoking and being vaccinated will make you a healthier person.”
“If you’re keen and you want to expand your skill set the new HEE practice nurse career framework will provide you with all the training pathways you need. If you can work on your own and make good, safe decisions there is a wealth of opportunities which will open up to you. Extended prescribing, minor illness, dermatology, chronic disease management, diabetes and insulin management, as well as all the old usual vaccinations, asthma, ECGs, ambulatory blood pressure management, contraception, health screening and bloods. The field of health screening on its own has expanded no end and practice nurses are going to play a vital role in the years to come.”
“Really sort of knew when I was doing a good job was that I had a patient that was just came in for a simple blood test. I asked the question ‘how are you’ and I’ve know this lady a couple of months you know and she just cried. She just let it all out, she’d said the bits that she wanted to say and I gave her time. When she came back it was a couple of weeks later for a follow-up she was just thanked me and said thank you so much for your time not rushing me and listening. I think it’s important when people are opening up to you like that that they trust you and that they’re, you know, grateful for what I’d done for her, just having a, just listening really.”
“I think when you hear the word practice nurse you think of your older ladies that sort of got families, I’m the complete opposite, you don’t have to be that person. I think if there’s an opportunity that comes up to a particularly good practice, always go for it, I think it’s something that when you got your teeth into it and there’s opportunity you can really work your way up.”
“You never know what’s going to walk through the door, it’s almost like being an A&E nurse in the minors because they do minors stuff as well so you know, all that, everything, it’s just a great, great job.”
MAKE A DIFFERENCE
BECOME A GENERAL PRACTICE NURSE
WITH THANKS TO
DI, ALICIA AND KEVIN
THEIR PRACTICES AND PATIENTS
BEING A
GENERAL PRACTICE
NURSE
www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/GPN
Health Careers, NHS Health Education England
Film produced by Health Education England and our team in Cambridgeshire
