What are district nurses roles and responsibilities?

District nurses are one of the many different types of nurses who manage care within the community, rather than in a hospital or private clinic. They visit patients in their homes and provide the necessary advice and care regarding wound management, continence care, catheter care and palliative care amongst others.

What makes a good district nurse?

You’ll need to be well organised, confident and able to cope in potentially challenging situations. Leadership and management skills are also important as you will supervise and lead a team of community staff nurses and healthcare assistants in the delivery of care. Leadership and management skills are also important.

What is the difference between a community nurse and a district nurse?

Many people use the two terms interchangeably. But a ‘community nurse’ is someone working in community settings, with or without a specialist qualification. A ‘district nurse’ is someone who has completed additional training to become a specialist community practitioner.

What do district nurses cover?

District nursing provides nursing assessments and care for housebound patients with a physical healthcare need. We see patients at home and in residential care settings.

What is the job role of a community nurse?

As a community nurse, your job is to provide care to allow patients to stay living in their community and ensure they do not have to go into hospital unnecessarily. They carry out a huge range of work, often operating alone or in small teams.

What are the roles of a nurse in the community?

Nurses promote healthy lifestyles, advocate for patients and provide health education. They also provide direct patient care. As key members of healthcare teams, they provide our communities with the knowledge needed for healthy living.

What time do district nurses work until?

Evening and weekend work is becoming increasingly common, and in many services you will work a shift between 8am and 8pm. You may also be on an on-call rota covering hours outside standard service times.

What are the qualities of community health nurse?

13 Qualities of a Good Nurse: Leadership & Personality Characteristics

• Caring.
• Communication Skills.
• Empathy.
• Attention to Detail.
• Problem Solving Skills.
• Stamina.
• Sense of Humor.
• Commitment to Patient Advocacy.

What is the role of a community nurse?

What does a community nurse do? Working in a variety of environments, from clinics and health centres to residential accommodation and patients’ own homes, community nurses help the NHS meet the needs of elderly, disabled or vulnerable patients who may not be able to easily visit the hospital.

What’s the role of a community nurse?

Community health nurses work with people and their families to help prevent disease, maintain health and treat any existing health problems. Community nurses aim to support and maintain patient independence, safety and a healthy lifestyle, at the same time as helping a patient’s carer.

How do you call a district nurse?

You can contact the district nurses by calling the District Nursing message service on 020 7288 3555. The nurses are often out in peoples’ homes so this is the quickest way to get in touch with them.

What is the role of a community mental health nurse?

Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN) CPNs work outside hospitals and visit clients in their own homes, out-patient departments or GP surgeries. They can help you to talk through problems and give practical advice and support. They can also give medicines and keep an eye on their effects.

What do district nurses do in the UK?

District Nurses are senior nurses in the United Kingdom’s National Health Service who manage care within the community. They lead teams of community nurses and support workers, as well as visiting house-bound patients to provide advice and care such as palliative care, wound management, catheter and continence care and medication support.

What makes a district nursing service a good one?

Our research suggests that staff, patients and carers have a strongly aligned set of beliefs about the components of ‘good’ district nursing care, valuing a ‘whole-person approach’ to care with a focus on relational continuity, involvement of family and carers, patient education and self-management support, and care co-ordination.

Who are community nurses in a district nursing team?

Throughout this report, we refer to qualified nurses working in district nursing teams as ‘community nurses’ (who include some staff with a district nursing specialist practitioner qualification), and to senior frontline staff with team leader roles as ‘district nurse team leaders’.

What should I do if there are no district nurses?

You enjoy working in the community, and providing vital care to vulnerable people, some of whom would need to be in a care home or hospital if there were no district nurses. Does this sound like you? You’re well organised, confident and able to take responsibility in difficult situations.