With the growing importance of a holistic nursing approach, the ability of NHS in providing nursing and medical services is also evolving.
As such, community nurses are becoming an essential aspect of our healthcare system today. The nursing field has also grown and developed as a result of advances in health care. Become a nurse, and you’ll feel accomplished while helping others. The Nurses interested in exploring the nursing profession can benefit greatly from GP online learning.
Who Is A Community Nurse?
A community nurse is a professional who caters to the healthcare requirements of a community in general.
Community nursing personnel identify health problems and provide affordable healthcare to patients.
They also develop intervention plans that address the safety, health and nutritional issues that may be facing a community of people.
Community nurses strive to create awareness about healthy choices and assist with illness and disease prevention.
Do you plan on becoming a community nurse? Then, remember that you must focus on prevention rather than treatment.
By advocating good health practices and maintaining safer work or home environments, you can help patients to reduce the health risks.
Your goal must be to educate the public through community-based intervention programs that help in identifying and correcting multiple health issues.
How Does It Differ from Traditional Nursing?
Unlike traditional nursing practice, community nurses deal with the health issues of a community and not just an individual.
The concept of community can cover small towns to entire nations, or anything in between.
You may find it daunting, considering the area of coverage and a massive responsibility.
But many community health nurses are finding it personally rewarding as well.
Sometimes, diseases or issues may inflict terrible consequences on entire communities.
From large towns, regional areas, urban areas, or even whole countries – no one is spared from the ill effects.
Examples of these issues include HIV, influenza, substance abuse, obesity, or teen pregnancy.
When these problems are left unchecked, the entire community is at the risk of encountering these issues.
Working as a community nurse is a brilliant way to combine your love for the community with a passion for nursing.
It is the responsibility of a community nurse to keep these problems under control.
Also Read: Immediate Signs of Emergency You Need to Act Upon
Community nurses offer treatment and advise community members on possible healthcare measures.
There is now a higher demand for community nurses. They have a crucial role in bringing about a better prospect for communities.
They work in conjunction with other professionals to provide the necessary care in communities that do not have accessible healthcare.
What Does A Community Nurse Do?
Working in a variety of healthcare settings, community nurses help the disabled, elderly, and vulnerable patients receive top-class care.
They are trained to perform a large number of nursing procedures like
- Basic care such as checking blood pressure, breathing, and temperature
- Administering injections
- Assisting doctors with medical procedures and examinations
- Cleaning and dressing up wounds
- Setting up intravenous drips and providing ongoing care
Community nursing personnel also provide education and advisory service on various aspects related to healthcare.
As a community nurse, you may also need to provide emergency nursing – in cases of cardiac arrest, accidents, and other complications.
This role is beyond reliving UK’s busiest hospitals or GP surgeries. You will work as a pillar of support and specialise in joint care management where social service and other wider care programmes are involved.
What Skills Do You Need To Become A Community Nurse?
Community nursing can sometimes turn into a high-pressure job. You will be working in an environment that can change almost daily.
Given the spectrum of patients requiring treatment and the demanding nature of the job, you need to possess excellent listening and communication skills.
You will also need to demonstrate sensitivity towards unique situations or its specifics.
You must also be a qualified and registered nurse, ideally with good hospital experience.
You may also need a degree level training as a specialist practitioner. Having excellent knowledge in clinical nursing, care, and programme management, and leadership qualities are desirable as well.
Training and Working as a community Nurse
Prospective community nurses can fund a specialist course through employers or primary care trust.
After successful qualification, you need to register with the NMC and apply for available positions.
The salary range for community nurses may vary between £25,783 and £34,530 per annum.
Community nursing is the answer to engaging a challenging and diverse healthcare landscape.
As NHS strives to meet the patient needs, community nurses are at the forefront of a modern healthcare strategy.
This position provides an opportunity to foster changes in several needy individuals.
How to Get into Community Nursing
Become A Registered Nurse: This is the first step in qualifying as a community nurse. Undertake a general nursing degree from any of the universities across the UK.
Apply For The Degree: The qualifications needed for entering the degree programme may vary from one university to another. The minimum level is at five GCSEs and two A levels.
Further Qualifications: You can enrol in a postgraduate course after two years of nursing experience
Very few nursing specialties touch the entire community. Yet, there is one that has the potential to impact the healthcare practices of a large number of individuals.
Community nursing is a specialty practice that caters to emotional and physical limitations of individuals.
Mike Haynes is a Fitness & Nutritionist Who Believes in Living a Healthy Lifestyle. He Loves to write about Fitness & Nutrition. He is also an expert advisor of Medical billing company which is dedicated to providing accurate billing of patients, daily fitness tips, detailed fitness guides & fitness gear reviews.