General Practice Nurse (GPN)

What is a General Practice Nurse?

The GPN workforce is key to the multi-disciplinary team in primary care. They play an essential role in promoting healthy lifestyles, supporting the public to manage their own health, and preventing worsening health and unwanted or unnecessary hospital admissions.

With primary care being central to our health system, it is a great career choice for any ambitious nurse.

As a general practice nurse, you can expect:

• to be challenged and feel rewarded.
• every day to be different.
• your skill set to be expanded.
• to build long term relationships with patients and support the same families through various stages of life

Our support to you

Northamptonshire Primary Care Training Hub (NPCTH) believes in investing in learning and development to enable individuals to reach their full potential and enhance care delivery and positive outcomes to patients accessing primary care. We aim to support you, as an integral part of our workforce in General Practice, by facilitating access to relevant Continuing Professional Development (CPD) opportunities, mentorship, and restorative supervision..

Opportunities

Whether you are a newly qualified nurse, or a nurse with lots of previous experience we have a range of opportunities to support your transition into General Practice:

• Funded places on the Practice Nursing BSc/PG Cert module at De Montfort University. The key clinical skills required for the role of GPN are all included. The programme delivers venepuncture, ear care, wound management, cervical cytology and immunisation and vaccination training, as well as providing the foundations for chronic condition management. The programme is designed to develop both clinical and academic skills for a career in General Practice Nursing.
• A multi-professional Preceptorship programme hosted by our local Community Healthcare Trust.
• An external (Legacy) mentor who will provide up to 4 hours per month of mentorship over your first year in practice. These mentors are all GPNs with a wealth of experience and knowledge in primary care.
• Restorative clinical supervision sessions (RCS) with a Professional Nurse Advocate (PNA) on a group or 1:1 basis.
• Career conversations.
• Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) revalidation reflective discussions.
• Quality/Service improvement support.
• Leadership development.