Nursing in Practice Autumn 2022 issue | Page 24

24 | Nursing in Practice | Autumn 2022
MY DAY

Working as a lead nurse

in general practice

Naomi Berry , who is the lead general practice nurse at Rooley Lane Medical Centre in Bradford after just three years in the profession , tells Mimi Launder about a day running clinics and supporting her nurse team
NEIL O ’ CONNOR
07.30
I get half an hour before my clinic starts to make a cup of tea , get the computer on , set everything up and check how the clinic is looking . I also review any urgent tasks or notifications . There has been an uptick in urgent requests recently as life returns to normal following the peak of the pandemic . For example , someone might need an urgent wound care appointment having delayed it due to Covid . It is my job to see where we can fit them in but we don ’ t always have the capacity , so I may have to send them to another clinic . We have been trying our best to see everyone , but our staff are exhausted .
08:00
The first clinic starts . I have set clinics every week , each with a particular focus , such as asthma , babies , smear tests , ear irrigation or diabetes . During one clinic , a nurse might see 15 to 20 patients . I prefer to hold set clinics , as we get a better flow than if we mix them up . If I ’ m on a smear day , I ’ m on a smear day , and that ’ s what I ’ m doing . However , I do make sure that we see people in between appointments if it ’ s important .
10:00
I grab a much-needed 10-minute break after my first clinic . If there ’ s time , I ’ ll have another quick cup of tea . My next clinic takes me until midday , after which I spend half an hour checking the fridges , cleaning the room and disposing of waste .
Each Thursday , as lead nurse , I also have an hour-long meeting at this time with the practice manager , partners , the IT manager and reception manager . It ’ s a great way to get a better understanding about the management side of the practice and have open discussions about issues such as uniforms or mask use . In these meetings , I make sure I stick up for the nurses , because I want them to be treated fairly .
12:30
I sometimes have lunch on my own and sometimes with others . It ’ s a good opportunity to catch up with team members , as the reception manager and IT manager often eat with us . Sometimes the doctors come too .
13:00
Before the afternoon clinics , I spend half an hour on admin , such as managing waiting lists and any tasks that come through over the lunch period . I also see if any stock needs to be put away and make sure I have enough immunisations for travel and babies , ordering more if I need to . I also pop to reception to say hello and let them know I ’ m here for the afternoon .
I am also in charge of staffing rotas and notifications that impact our service . I look at open appointment slots and consider what type of clinical appointment to assign to them . You ’ ve got to be quite organised , because otherwise a clinician could be wasting half an hour with nothing to do . This week , I ’ ve had lots of staff sickness , so I ’ ve had to consider whether to rearrange appointments or squeeze them into another clinic . Sometimes I do have to cancel appointments , which can frustrate patients . I think a lot of the abuse we get is linked to the GP bashing in the press and social media during the pandemic .
13:30
I start seeing patients again . It ’ s always busy . For example , when giving prostate injections , the needle is huge so it can be tricky . If the patient is nervous , I allow them a bit of time and other patients have to wait . I take it at their pace – I ’ ll never kick a patient out . However , I do sometimes have to make a clinical judgement . If , say , a child will not sit still for a blood test , I might tell them that unless they do , they ’ ll have to go to hospital .
All day , every day , I ’ m also supporting nurses . They come into my clinic and ask for help . I make that time for them because they only come in when they need me , so I would never turn them away . Sometimes you just have that doubt and need another nurse ’ s opinion . I ’ m exactly the same . I ’ m fairly young , I ’ ve climbed the ladder quickly , and sometimes I sit there and think , ‘ do I know what I ’ m doing ?’ You do have those moments . You have to be confident in what you ’ re doing but it takes time .
14:00
At this time on Wednesdays I have a meeting with all clinical staff . We talk about safeguarding , palliative care and anything else that needs to be discussed as a team . If I don ’ t have that , I ’ ll be in clinic until 2.15pm and then have another 10-minute break before returning to clinic .
16:00
I shut my computer down and go home to my family . I tell all the nurses to leave at 4pm too . You can ’ t take work home because it stays with you . You need that cut-off point or your home life will suffer . I love my job , but we all need that break .
Profile Naomi Berry
Location Rooley Lane Medical Centre , Bradford Role Lead general practice nurse
Areas of responsibility Clinics : diabetes , coronary heart disease , COPD , spirometry and asthma . Advises patients on smoking , immunisations and travel
Hours worked 30 hours a week