The practice nurse

Area of Science:

• Primary Care Medicine
• Nursing Practice

Background:

• The implementation of a new General Practitioner (GP) contract is anticipated to significantly increase workload.
• Practice nurses are perceived by GPs and their staff as key personnel to manage this increased demand.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the anticipated role and workload distribution for practice nurses under a new GP contract.
• To identify the increasing demand for specialized nursing skills in primary care settings.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of the perceived workload distribution within primary care settings.
• Review of trends in nursing and medical press advertisements.

Main Results:

• There is a clear consensus among GPs and their staff that practice nurses will undertake a substantial portion of the new workload.
• The nursing and medical job markets show a notable increase in advertisements for practice nurses with specific responsibilities in screening and health promotion.

Conclusions:

• Practice nurses are expected to play a pivotal role in managing the increased demands of the new GP contract.
• The findings highlight a growing specialization within nursing practice, focusing on preventative care and health promotion within primary care settings.