Every practice nurse has a different journey into general practice. For any student nurses who are currently deciding which branch of nursing to go into, Victoria Bell generously shares her experience in the hope that it might encourage others to join this very worthwhile sector of the nursing profession.
May 2018
After a visit to my own practice nurse, I realised that this was the career for me. I was mid-way through my degree and I had not given practice nursing a second thought until then. I was aware of the general consensus that it was not really considered an option for newly qualified nurses; however, the more I researched the more I understood that general practice is changing and that it can be a first choice of career. Every essay I did from then on was community based. I wanted to ensure that what I lacked in experience, I would make up for in knowledge.
Students who are soon to become newly qualified nurses need to know that practice nursing is an option for them. Offering placements in your practice is vital
November 2018
I spoke to my university's placement team in the hope that they could give me a practice nurse placement. I was met with a lot of resistance, even though I explained that it was a potential career option for me. I persevered and contacted the lecturer who runs the post-graduate practice nurse course. I explained my interest and she arranged a placement in general practice for me.
November 2018–April 2019
During this time, I applied for every practice nurse vacancy I could find ready for when I graduated. I had friends who worked in general practice who would email me any vacancies that came through internal post. I applied through NHS Jobs and looked at the local Clinical Commissioning Group websites. I hardly got any responses, and the responses I did get were rejection letters. They all stated the same thing: ‘we are looking for someone with more experience at this time.’ I found it really hard to face rejection after rejection when I know I was good enough. It was really disheartening. Meanwhile, I continued to work as a healthcare assistant in a hospital. I am not convinced this helped as I knew this is not where I wanted to start my career, but it started to feel like I had no other option. I had one difficult shift as a healthcare assistant and I remember thinking that, if my nursing career was going to be like this, I did not want it. Luckily, it was only one shift.
May 2019
I finally got an interview. I was over the moon and very nervous. Fortunately, I had been to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) congress and met some amazing people from the RCN general practice forum (find them on Twitter and Facebook, they are brilliant, and while you are there follow the GPN student nurse network too). The talk that they gave really helped and inspired me to continue this fight to get my newly qualified nurse post. I went into my interview a couple of days after the congress with my head held high, knowing that I was good enough and I was capable.
Someone said to me at the congress that I should also be interviewing the practice to see if it was the right fit for me. At the time, I thought I would just take any job as I was so desperate to get into general practice, but after the interview, something just did not feel right. The surgery was massive and I felt very small and insignificant there. I got called back for a second interview but I did not get the actual post. I am glad I got called back, this experience made me realise that my interview skills were good, and looking back I am also glad I did not get the job – although at the time it felt like the end of the world. I continued to network on Twitter, and this put me in contact with some amazing people from Health Education England who empowered me to continue to push for my career. I was given some extra pointers for my CV and cover letter, but, most importantly, people believed in me. That felt amazing.
June 2019
I started my management placement at a lovely general practice. Within a week, I emailed the lecturer to thank her for getting me this placement as I knew this was definitely the career for me. I told my mentor that I want a career in general practice and she then sent an email out to the people she knew, informing them of my interest. Luckily, my mentor also worked for the local Clinical Commissioning Group, and therefore had a lot of contacts. Through this connection I had an informal meeting with an advanced nurse practitioner who worked for a local surgery. We discussed how the practice was planning to expand and that although he did not have a job to offer me yet, there may be one in the future. Within 3 weeks I got called back for an official interview, and I got the job. I rang everyone I knew, crying with happiness. I could not wait to go into placement the next day to tell everyone. The staff on my placement were all so pleased and happy for me.
Just before my lunch break on placement I got called into the office by the practice manager. Obviously my heart sank thinking I had done something wrong. She explained that the GP partners had discussed my potential and really wanted to employ me and did not want me to leave. I could not believe it. They had not even seen my CV but they still wanted to employ me. I was delighted. I was heartened by the fact that they wanted me for me, and not my grades or the extracurricular activities I had been involved in. I must have impressed them somehow.
At this point things became tricky. I felt loyalty to my placement practice and I felt safe there, but the other practice was new and exciting. In the end, I chose to stay at my placement. They are lovely and so supportive of me as a student, I just know they will continue to be so when I am a newly qualified nurse. I rang the other practice and explained, they were disappointed but understanding. I felt guilty, but a weight lifted off my shoulders.
July 2019
I have only 2 months left until I qualify. I cannot believe how quickly it has gone. I am still on my placement and I am learning more every day. I am being taught things that will aid my transition. I am starting to have my own clinics of dressings and electrocardiograms. We have arranged the Christmas party, my annual leave and start dates. My mentors are really supportive and encourage me to take the lead. I am hoping to do the general practice PG Cert, which the practice will fund for me. They are planning on introducing new types of patients to me slowly and they will give me more time if I need it.
Since I accepted the post at my practice, I have had two more invitations for interviews. I am not saying this to show off, but to prove that general practices are prepared take on newly qualified nurses. This morning was the first time I did not check my NHS Jobs email for general practice posts in a year. I am so pleased I have pushed to get this post. I am really excited about my future as a practice nurse—watch this space.