District nurse

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District Nurses are senior nurses who manage care within the community, leading teams of community nurses and support workers. Typically much of their work involves visiting house-bound patients to provide advice and care, for example, palliative care, wound management, catheter and continence care, medication support. They may be trained to assess patient's needs for equipment provision such as mobility and independent living aids, medical equipment such as specialist beds and mattresses, as well as guidance in applying for grants and welfare benefits. Their work involves both follow-up care for recently discharged hospital inpatients and longer term care for chronically ill patients who may be referred by many other services, as well as working collaboratively with general practitioners in preventing unnecessary or avoidable hospital admissions.

[edit] Scope of practice

District nurses provide nursing care that allows people to remain in their own homes, maintain their independence, or have additional support after discharge from hospital. A district nurse will manage a team of nurses that may change dressings, give eye drops, provide catheter care and administer complex medication within a patients home as well as immunisations. As well as treatment a district nurse would offer advice and support with health concerns.

In England they are employed by Primary Care Trusts on behalf of the NHS, whereas in Scotland they are employed by the health board and may be based at centralised health centres or general practices. District Nurses, like all qulified nurses, are regulated by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

[edit] Training

In the UK, training as a district nurse requires registration as a nurse in the adult branch, with at least five years post-qualifying experience of professional practice, who then take a (shortened) degree or postgraduate diploma. Courses are one year full-time or two years part-time.