Qualifications?

World International

Published

I am a masters educated NP from the US. I am hoping in the next month to work on applying for positions here in the UK.

I did find a post today for an Emergency Nurse Practitioner locally.

I have all of the "Essential" requirements. But the "desirable" are UK courses. How important are these to have and is there a way for me to consider taking one of these courses? or is this something that might be offered once a position is accepted?

Essential Desirable

[TABLE=width: 672]

[TR]

[TD]

  • Registered Nurse/Practitioner
  • BSc in Nursing or related subject (or studying towards)
  • Evidence of post registration education
  • Evidence of advanced clinical competence including range of extended skills and current ALS and/or ATLS/PALS certificate

[/TD]

[TD]

  • ENB199
  • ENB998 or equivalent
  • Further Management related qualification/training

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

Thanks for any input you have!

Currently work as a practice nurse in a GP surgery part time. Very very different from hospital envirnoment, but very rewarding and interesting and a very steep learning curve. If your going to be employed by the GP practice themselves you will have to negotiate your rate of pay, sickness pay, annual leave,etc, not all GP's follow the NHS Agenda for Change pay scales and Terms and Conditions.

Be aware of what the job involves. You will have to give the childhood immunisations, some GP's give travel vaccinations too. You will be undertaking smear tests on patients. If you have the qualifications you will undertake family planning. Lastly you will be reasponsible for the QOF points. So you will be undertaking all the chronic disease mangement, CHD, diabetes, COPD, Asthma, mental health, etc plus lots of other bits and bobs.

With the government changing the way the health service is funded you will need to be aware of this as well.

Will you be in a large practice with other practice nurses to help supervise or will you be on your own?

The remit of a practice nurse is very wide and varied but you get to know your patients. As long as you have a supportive GP and Practice Manager everything should fall into place. If there not supportive it can be hell

mrscat- are the rates of pay at a GP surgery usually better/worse than at the hospital (if they don't go by the Agenda for change model)? Staff nurse is a Band 5.

I do have the chronic management background with my years as a Nurse Practitioner. I loved my patients (guessing they loved me as well since they refused to see the MD and would wait for me to return from Holiday to come in for a routine visit)- I do miss that type of care. I also really like the M-F office hours as well!!

The practice that has the job posted is a group of 6 doctors, 2 nurse practitioners, maybe 2 nurses? I understand that one of the docs has a retirement date set so they are looking for additional help. An APN friend does state that they might be willing to consider an APN instead of a practice nurse, but I haven't contacted the manager yet to verify.

I got a phone call yesterday. The A&E has offered me a position. But since i have no NHS experience, I would be at the bottom of the Band. (I made more money in my first RN job out of university 12 years ago!) This however...JUST pays for daycare for my youngest and afterschool care for my oldest (who knows about holiday/summer time...that is more added expense). The Senior sister who gave me the offer does understand my degrees and years of service- she stated she would put in a request for me to be moved up on the scale. But honestly, other than JUST to get out of the house and get the experience- paying to go to work doesn't even make sense! (how do single mums do it over here?!)

Some GP's will try and pay the least amount of money they can get away with. Because there is no national standard to what GP's pay it's all down to how much you want the job. Even if you go in at a band 5 you can then start to look at other jobs further down the road and start negoitating once you have got more experience of primary care within the uk. Getting your foot in the door is the main thing at this present moment in time both within the nhs and in the primary care setting.

+ Add a Comment