Heartbeat: Community nurses turn specialist practitioners

November 13, 2019

Three of our top nurses have been successful in qualifying as specialist practitioners in district nursing.

Nursing is at the heart of our organisation. Recently three of our nurses have completed the Specialist Community Nursing (SCN) District Nursing BSc (Hons) degree at the University of Wolverhampton.

Chantelle Kenyon, Susan Oliver and Harbinder Gill from our community nursing service all completed the 12 month course. It involved both theory and clinical practice elements from assignments to completion of the Queen’s Nursing Institute domains in clinical care. The qualification is equal to either a degree or postgraduate diploma.

Susan Knight, Practice Education Lead and Black Country Practice District Nurse Team Leader is thrilled for Chantelle, Susan and Harbinder. She said “I’m delighted with their achievements. They can all hold their heads up high knowing they have secured band 6 clinical posts at the Trust. They’ve made me feel so proud. I’m sure their friends and families feel the same way too.”

Qualifying as a specialist practitioner in district nursing can be very challenging. Individuals have to show higher levels of judgement and discretion in practice. They must also work within the nursing and midwifery professional standards of practice.

Susan added “The course tests your ability to be able to balance both theory and practical elements of learning. The amount of academic work in addition to working clinically is at a higher level.”