In this article, we’ll explore what a community nurse is and why they are currently in high demand.
What is a community or district nurse?
A community nurse, also known as a public health nurse or district nurse (in some regions), is a registered nurse who works primarily outside of hospital settings, providing healthcare services directly to patients and families within their communities. Their role involves delivering a range of healthcare services, health education, and promoting wellness and disease prevention within the community they serve.
What are their responsibilities?
Their job may include:
– Primary healthcare: Providing basic medical care, such as wound dressing, administering medications, and monitoring vital signs.
– Health promotion and education: Educating individuals and communities about healthy lifestyle choices, disease prevention, and managing chronic conditions.
– Disease prevention and control: Implementing public health initiatives, such as vaccination programs and screenings for diseases like diabetes or hypertension.
– Home visits: Conducting home visits to assess the health needs of individuals, provide care, and support family members in caregiving roles.
– Coordination of care: Collaborating with other healthcare professionals, social services, and community organizations to ensure holistic care and support for patients.
– Advocacy: Acting as an advocate for patients and their families, ensuring they have access to appropriate healthcare services and resources.
– Support for vulnerable populations: Providing specialized care and support for vulnerable groups such as the elderly, disabled individuals, or those with mental health issues.
Overall, community nurses play a crucial role in promoting health and well-being within communities, bridging the gap between healthcare services and the people who need them, particularly those who may face barriers to accessing traditional healthcare settings.
What makes a good community nurse?
As a nurse out in the community they’re classed as lone workers with limited support at hand, so they have to be quick thinking and take action fast. The difference between a nurse in the hospital and a nurse in the community is the on-hand support as and when you need it; also, most community trusts would require a car driver due to the distances from patient to patient.
Can community nurses work flexibly?
Yes, community nurses don’t just have to work in permanent or full-time jobs, they can work flexibly through the Florence app. Nurses can choose and book the shifts, when, where and how often they want. They can also block book shifts where there is availability.
Why are we seeing an increase in community nurse shifts nationwide?
Nurses within the community help to keep hospital admissions down, freeing up beds for critical cases and preventing long admission times. As a community nurse has to travel, they can cover a maximum of 8 – 12 patients per day. Therefore, NHS trusts need to maintain staffing levels to ensure they can cover all the individual patients. The district and community nurse demographic is also ageing, meaning there are fewer available nurses as they reach retirement age and leave their jobs. This has meant the demand for community nurses has skyrocketed across the country.
Where we currently have a high demand for community and district nurses to cover shifts:
- Liverpool
- Merseyside
- Birmingham
- Midlands
- London
- Sussex
- Hertfordshire
- Cheshire
- Wirral
Please download the app and fill in your basic profile to see our most up-to-date shift availability and rates.
How do I join Florence to find flexible community nursing shifts?
Download the app to begin registration with Florence. Once you’ve filled in your profile on the app, one of our team will contact you to offer guidance during the onboarding process.
Want more information?
Contact us at NHS@florence.co.uk or call 020 3911 2555 to speak to the team.