The Increasing Role of Nurse Practitioners

It is encouraging to note that Nurse Practitioner roles are ‘on the up’, due to the work overload that many GPs now experience. 

In both primary and secondary care, Nurse Practitioners (NPs) are increasingly sought after, particularly in the last 10 years, where both the number of vacancies and responsibilities have developed with speed. Whilst the basic principles of nursing such as patient care and strong relationships within multidisciplinary teams is essential, an NP is pivotal in connecting ‘the dots’ together, whilst providing a high level of experience and duties. 

What is a Nurse Practitioner? 

A nurse practitioner should be able to cover a wide range of medical problems, which will help facilitate the smooth running of a busy medical environment. As a trained NP, you will likely provide the following: 

-Assessment of medical condition 

-Continued care for either short-term or long-term illnesses (previously diagnosed by a doctor in the latter case) 

-Advanced nursing care 

-Prescriptions 

-Vaccinations 

-Blood tests 

-Smears 

-Referrals and admittances to hospital 

They will also liaise with a doctor. Additional skills acquired will be a bonus to the service you can provide. You will not be responsible for pregnant women or children under the age of 5, which are usually undertaken by specialist nurses or doctors in that field. If you have a particular interest in a specific area, such as paediatrics or geriatrics, you will be able to continue your qualifications to pursue specialist roles.  

Collaboration is vital as a nurse practitioner, so flexibility is key in terms of days/hours worked. However, if you prefer to take the locum route, you can generally command your own hours and days. 

Primary Care vs Secondary Care 

During university, nurses will choose which route they’d like to take with their career. Many start out in Secondary Care due to the faster pace, but you can choose to start in Primary Care if you wish.   

As a Primary Care NP, you will be the first point of contact for new patients requiring one of the services within your remit. You will be able to find both full-time and part-time work (i.e., many surgeries require NPs for perhaps 2 days a week, usually fixed). Primary care is usually working in a GP surgery, where hours are constructed around a normal working day and in the main does not include weekends. There are options outside of GP surgeries which you can read about in our guide to Primary Care. 

Secondary Care Nurse Practitioners may work under more pressure, have a wider range of doctors/consultants to report to and more ‘unscheduled’ appointments if emergencies occur. They may also have an increased range of responsibilities, according to expertise and training. Hours are far less regulated and to a certain extent, in a more pressurised environment such as ICU or A&E. 

How to progress to become an Advanced Nurse Practitioner 

Increasing your skill set and qualifications will be your prime aim to reach ANP standards. As you progress as a nurse, it is useful to work in as many departments that you can, to show your adaptability. If you happen to work with other ANPs, gain as much knowledge as you can from their experiences. 

The NHS framework for advanced clinical practice was launched in England in 2017. Advanced roles require a high-level of knowledge and experience gained through both working and a Master’s (or equivalent qualification) which demonstrate:  

-Clinical practice 

-Leadership and management. 

-Education and research 

-Clinical competence in both core and specialised areas of knowledge 

Whilst entry to the essential courses can be rated by merit, you will need to have the following: 

-A 2.2 degree in a relevant subject. 

-Nursing and Midwifery current registration. 

-A minimum of 2 years clinical experience (must be current) or 3 years to entitle you to V300 non-medical prescribing. 

-A clinical mentor (for assessment in your competency and overall support whilst you are studying). 

-Reference from your current clinical employer (for verification of experience and mentor support). 

If English is not your first language, then you must complete and pass an IELTS course with an overall score of 6.5.  

Your course will be split into different sections, including home study, supervised study, seminars, lectures, workplace-based learning, on-site clinical training and practice and group activities. Applications can be done online for many courses, and you need to apply at least 4 weeks prior to the course commencement. The earlier the better, as courses normally start in September. 

Generally, you must pay for each course module as you go along. There may be opportunities to receive funding from the NHS Learning Support Fund or you may be fortunate to receive a bursary or grant from relevant organisations.  

You can read our Profile of a locum ANP here.

Working as an Agency Nurse Practitioner  

Agency NPs and ANPs are essential to provide cover for sickness, holidays or maternity leave. One of the major benefits of working as a locum nurse will always be freedom of choice – working when you want, where you want – you can set your own timetable according to your domestic requirements.  

Of course, this is not the only benefit. During times when you are not working, you can further your studies and gain extra qualifications. You can read more about agency nursing here. 

Agency nurses have a higher hourly rate than salaried employees. The reasons are clear – temporary placements are usually short term, days or a week or two, with potential cancellations at short notice. Weekly hours also fluctuate depending on demand. Rates of pay can be hourly or weekly, depending on the hirer. You will always be in high demand as a Locum NP and remuneration will reflect this. 

Hourly rates for NPs are around £25 per hour, with more experienced ANPs expecting a remuneration of between £40 and £45 p.h. Sometimes the location and the actual hours worked can affect this payment structure. If you wish to work for a medical facility outside the NHS structure, rates may vary considerably. 

As a specialised medical vacancies platform, AppLocum can guide you to the best roles available in your chosen area and level of expertise. Register your interest and view our jobs board.