Band 6 & 7 posts

[oreo75]

I have been a band 5 for a year now & am being to think about starting to develop myself towards a band 6 post as most of them need 2 years experience, ultimately I would love a band 7 post. What sort of things to I need to be doing. The manager I have at the moment is ok but not great, more interested in being friends with everyone rather that helping people develop.

[madwife2002, BSN, RN]

I take it you are doing further education and courses? That always opens up lots of options

[paris2]

the higher band job is hard to come by and competition is fierce in job market.

but i tell you what i did when i was band "e" (band 5).

through my pdp i identified that to do nurse-led angiography we had to do iv therapy and venepunture course. my manager sent me to do those courses. i then started doing nurse-led angiography which use to be done by band 6's only.

i ask my manager if i can shadow her in holding hospital bleep and then if i can practice holding unde supervision and then solo.

i asked my manger that i want to be link nurse in diabetes (our band 5's have been allocated to be a link nurses in specific area) i.e. infection control, continence, diabetes etc.

i ask my manager if i can do audits. i wanted to demonstrate improving quality by measuring what i was doing, (our band 5's link nurses do audits in their area).

i show interest in to my manager in all area of practice and always gave 110%. (remember if don't give 110% someone else will)

i took interest in teaching and asked my manager if she will let me do informal half an hr teaching to my colleagues (it was not big thing, it was like reflection of practice, i.e. how things could have been differently)

at band 5, i took up challenges that would normally be done at band 6-7's even though i was not getting paid at that grade.

i had no fear and i asked to take up more (obviously manager delegated me appropriately working within my limitation but at the same time developing my management role further). i am now sitting on band 7, the job i love and live for.

advice i give to band 5's is that take every opportunity to learn, be enthusiastic, be dependable, reliable and show commitment. show professionalism and communication skills in teamwork and other professional. but above all put patients and their relatives first.