Transitioning to primary care nursing

Primary care nursing is very different to hospital nursing in a secondary or tertiary setting. However, I have found that the transition from secondary to primary care has been positive.

Practice nursing is a diverse and varied role, seeing patients from newborn to end of life, and from a wide range of different backgrounds and ethnicities. Sometimes I meet a patient just once, for a blood test or travel consultation; others I see regularly for wound care or for support to manage chronic conditions. Over the past year I have learnt so many new skills, including ear care, smoking cessation support and cervical screening. This is on top of the many transferable skills I had already developed working in hospitals – venepuncture and wound care to name a few. I also enjoy the flexibility that comes with having my own clinics and I have an improved work-life balance, with options to work at weekends for the Primary Care Network if I want to.