Practice nurse
Practice nurses work in GP surgeries to assess, screen, treat and educate patients, and help doctors give medical care.
Typical Salary
£37,000 – £53,000
per year
Working Hours
38–40
hours per week
Day-to-day tasks
In this role you could:
- run clinics for conditions like asthma, diabetes, heart problems and skin disorders
- apply dressings, treat wounds and take samples of blood and urine
- give advice on family planning, contraception, blood pressure and stopping smoking
- carry out infant injections, vaccinations and travel immunisations
- help patients to manage long term conditions
Skills needed
- counselling skills including active listening and a non-judgemental approach
- knowledge of psychology
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- sensitivity and understanding
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- to be flexible and open to change
- customer service skills
- knowledge of English language
- to be able to carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device
How to get into this role
You can get into this job by applying directly.
Career progression
With experience you could:
- specialise in health promotion, chronic disease management, diabetes or asthma care
- do a further qualification to work as a nurse practitioner and manage your own caseload of patients
- train to become a specialist community practitioner, providing advanced care while leading a team
- move into service management, teaching or research