Nurse Practitioners
| Mrs A C Harston |
| SRN SCM BSc (Hons) ANP, Nurse Prescriber, Dip in Asthma, Family Planning Certificate - Nurse Practitioner Manager |
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When I am not at the surgery I can usually be found at our local sailing club where my family sail most weekends in the Summer. I have a keen interest in the professional issue relating to Nurse Practitioners and work at the Royal College of Nurses for some of the time. |
| Mrs V Newell |
| SRN ONC BSc (Hons) ANP, Nurse Prescriber, Dip Asthma, Family Planning, Diabetes, Respiratory Care |
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My main interest has been in chronic disease management, particularly in Respiratory care and Diabetic care. Over the years I have had some involvement with local asthma research. I also participate in the 'Out of Hours' service at weekends. My 'out of work' activities are many and varied including amateur dramatics and Scottish dancing. |
| Ms Caroline Mansfield |
| Nurse Practitioner |
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I have worked at the surgery for 16 years, firstly as a practice nurse then later as a Nurse Practitioner. I am team leader for the best nurses in Norfolk!
I have been working in Primary Care for the past 20 years as a Practice Nurse, and more recently as a Nurse Practitioner in this medical centre and feel honoured to be part of our nursing team.
In recent years, the NHS has been subjected to an unprecedented pace of change resulting from ambitious health care policy, changing workforce demographics and escalating patient need coupled with increased consumer demand. These factors have prompted a change in the roles and responsibilities of all health care professionals, including facilitation of advanced nursing roles such as the Nurse Practitioner (NP).
Nurse Practitioners have been working in this country for 20 years with rapidly increasing numbers, however it is only within recent years that they have begun to establish their identity as a professional body, about to be regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Today wherever the patients would benefit from nurses with exemplary skills practiced at an advanced level, the NP role is being developed. For example, NPs are now making a significant impact in Primary Care in General Practices, PMS (Personal Medical Service) sites, NHS Walk-in Centres, Minor Injury Units, A&E departments, Urgent Care Centres, refugee/asylum seekers/homeless projects, elderly care facilities, "out of hours" developments, out-reach initiatives, across traditional community nursing (HV, DN) boundaries and in Secondary care providing innovative acute services for patients of all ages and across specialties, including Medical Assessment Units, ITU outreach, oncology, orthopaedics, paediatrics etc. (Maclaine.K 2005)
With the advent of new ways of working in this country, where a doctor is not always the first point of contact for a patient, their role in this country has been recognised and valued.
So what is a Nurse Practitioner?
Nurse practitioners are highly experienced and educated members of the care team who are able to diagnose and treat healthcare needs or refer to an appropriate specialist if needed.
Nurse Practitioners can:
- Take a comprehensive patient history
- Carry out physical examinations
- Use their expert knowledge and clinical judgment to identify the potential diagnosis
- Refer patients for investigations where appropriate
- Make a final diagnosis
- Decide on and carry out treatment, including the prescribing of medicines, or refer patients to an appropriate specialist
- Use their extensive practice experience to plan and provide skilled and competent care to meet patient's health and social care needs, involving other members of the health care team as appropriate
- Ensure the provision of continuity of care including follow-up visits
- Assess and evaluate, with patients, the effectiveness of the treatment and care provided and make changes as needed
- Work independently, although often as part of a health care team
- Provide leadership
- Make sure that each patient's treatment and care is based on best practice
- The NMC states that only nurses who have achieved the competencies set by the NMC for a registered NP are permitted to call themselves by this title.