Community Children’s Nurse

Job/Role Summary

• Assigned own caseload to look after children with acute, chronic and complex health needs.
• Teaching of various groups including parents, respite carers and staff in mainstream, special and nursery schools.
• A source of advice and support for parents.
• Keep up to date with best practice, take part in audit and research.

Specific qualifications and experience required

Community Children’s Nursing Specialist Practitioner course. It has been previously difficult to recruit so may accept nurse with at least 5 years experience working with children, and who would be willing to undertake the course.

What attracted you to this job?

• Disillusioned with previous post
• Community working
• Career development
• Pay increase

Enjoyable aspects of the job/role

• Autonomous in role
• Able to maintain own case load
• Multidisciplinary working
• Good networking

Important success factors

• Good support from other team members and line manager
• Opportunity to attend study days to keep updated
• Opportunity to work with wide network of people, including parents, other members of multidisciplinary team and other health professionals

Advice for those considering the type of job/role?

• Ability to work alone is essential so good motivational skills are important
• Must be confident in your ability as difficult to predict awkward situations
• Stressful at times, but driving between units gives time to focus on next patient and their family
• Good organisational skills required to ensure caseload and diary run smoothly, allowing for unexpected events

Key skills that can be gained within this job/role?

• Improved communication skills with all members of the multidiscilinary team, across agencies and one to one with families
• Ability to empower families and children through education and support, and maintenance of a trusting, therapeutic relationship
• Good organisational skills
• Academic advancement enabling me to implement research into practice safely and effectively and influence the practice of others

Career Profiles