Role Overview

Student nurses can have a fantastic range of placements within primary care, including General Practice, to give an insight into the role of the General Practice Nurse. Student nurses will interact and care for a wide range of service users with varying health and medical concerns, with the opportunity to gain experience and practice many clinical skills, incorporating health promotion and screening with the management of long-term conditions. Whilst on placement, student nurses can also spend valuable time with other members of the wider multidisciplinary team. A placement in general practice can provide a good platform for student nurses to consider a career in general practice nursing, especially as a NQN.

Career Development/Pathway

As a NQN, General Practice Nurse Fellowships are available, which will support the newly qualified nurse through their preceptorship and with the transition into general practice. This can include the Springboard Preceptorship programme and the Fundamentals of Practice Nursing course, which covers all the foundation skills and knowledge required whilst working in general practice. Further career progression can then include specialist training for example, in long term condition management, women’s health, travel health and physical assessment. Further opportunities then include the Specialist Practitioner in General Practice qualification or the Advanced Clinical Practitioner route, both may include having the opportunity to complete a prescribing qualification.

The opportunities to upskill and develop are endless for the Nursing workforce within general practice.

Training Hub Offers/Upcoming Training

If you are a student Nurse and would like a placement in General Practice within STW, please do get in touch with our facilitators (contact details below)

You can find information on Student Support Sessions here

Useful Links and Documents

https://www.qni.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/Transition-to-General-Practice-Nursing.pdf (QNI guidance for the transition to general practice)

https://www.rcgp.org.uk/getmedia/e64ab53d-f88d-416b-84ae-65a20e658fb6/RCGP-General-Practice-Nurse-competencies-2015.pdf (General practice nurse competencies)

https://www.england.nhs.uk/gp/the-best-place-to-work/gp-fellowship-programme/ (NHS general practice fellowship programme information)

https://rcni.com/nursing-standard/students/clinical-placements/vaccinations-to-stis-and-copd-placement-one-to-one-patient-care-171716

Useful Contacts

Student Nurse Facilitators

• Jodie McCarthy: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Emma Lyle: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Relevant Info

General Practice and Practice Nursing is an exciting career path or both newly qualified nurses and nurses wanting the move to Primary Care, there is many opportunities for career progression, the level of support and encouragement to develop is second to none and the future of primary care is very much in the Nurse led care that can be given.

Placement Feedback

Year 2 – Hub Placement in General Practice

"On reflection, I have found the role of a GPN to be autonomous, working in their own clinical space, the GPN enjoys a 1-2-1 relationship with the patient.  Having the time and space to communicate their concerns, the patient may visit for a specific type of consultation, however this may evolve in to an entirely different consultation if dialogue highlights another concern.  In this respect, I have observed and been involved in delivering holistic, patient-centred care, focussed on improving outcomes.  I have enjoyed bearing witness to the respect and trust between professional and patient, often built up over years, which has at times left me feeling quite emotional. 

I have found the GPN role to be uniquely broad in terms of the variety of responsibilities and opportunity to care for patients throughout the life course.  The role requires flexibility in approach and adaption to different situations and no two days are the same.  I have enjoyed experiencing the different specialities with in the GPN role to include patient triage, child immunisations, management of chronic illnesses, wound management, sexual health, women’s health, urgent care and mental health.

The benefit of attending placement at a Medical Practice is the breadth of roles to observe, first hand experiencing the benefits of integrated inter-professional working in primary care.  I have observed the seamless coordination and transition of care between Practice Nurse, Physio Therapist, Social Prescriber, Mental Health Nurse and General Practitioner. 

Experiencing a GP placement during the COVID-19 pandemic has shown me how adaptable the Medical Practice team is in responding to the challenge of coordinating and administering a mass vaccination programme.  It has been a real privilege to play a small part in vaccinating the local population, and I thank all the team for allowing me this opportunity."

(May 2021)