Where Does The Assistant Practitioner Fit In The Process Of Patient Care?
In the process of patient care, the AP is at the forefront and, excellent communication, professionalism and assessment skills are required so that the right information is escalated when required.
What Settings Do Assistant Practitioners Work In?
In hospital settings, doctors surgeries, X-ray departments, science labs or with community nurses.
What Are The Career Opportunities For An Assistant Practitioner?
At the moment you can APEL (Accreditation of Prior Experiential Learning) into some universities to top up the qualification and become a registered nurse, this is because of recognition of prior learning.
This is however at the discretion of the university.
Did Working As An Assistant Practitioner Inspire Me To Study Nursing?
Absolutely, it is something I have always wanted.
If anything for me it further increased the desire to be a better AP and a good nurse.
Why Working As An Assistant Practitioner Is Perfect For Student Nurses
For me it has really helped me consolidate my learning, it has enhanced my knowledge, my skills and has really helped me think beyond what I am doing.
To really understand from a superficial level right down to a cellular level.
How what I say or do has an influence on the patient.
Can I Work Part Time As An Assistant Practitioner While Studying?
Absolutely, it can be done.
Having been in the role previously it has helped to be able to switch to being on the bank.
This is only because I am already a qualified AP.
It is a hard and demanding role mentally, so making sure you take enough time to rest and recuperate before getting back into student mode.
A Brief History Of The Role Of The Assistant Practitioner
South Devon Trust created the first bridging role in 2006, this was an excellent opportunity to stay in a role/employment and train as an AP.
They were created to help bridge the gap between band 3 and band 5 nurses, to be used as highly skilled individuals to support registered members of staff.
Since then the role has changed, adapted and many more opportunities to work in so many different settings.
A Day In The Life Of An Assistant Practitioner
As a District Nurse AP I would check my work the day before, I would sign onto shift and arrive early enough to check my work again incase there are any changes.
I would ensure I have enough clinical equipment for the day to carry out all my visits, I would write the time of arrival and the time I leave each patient.
If I need to in between I would escalate to a registered nurse if it is beyond the scope of my role, I could call an ambulance for a rapidly deteriorating patient, support the patient, update my team leader, update the family.
Complete MUST (Malnutrition universal screening tool), waterlow, notes, planning on visits, changing visit frequencies, making changes to care plans under direct supervision of the nurse and, picking up any call-outs.
Attend any MDT's that are planned, handing over this information to the wider team.
Daily handovers or twice weekly (depending on pressures of the caseload).
Carrying out general assessments, clinical assessments, keeping in-house paperwork up to date, referring to other specialties, escalating concerns to doctors, village agents, charities, adult social care, assessments of financial situations to signpost to further support.
The exciting thing is sometimes all of this can be put into 1 shift!
"For me it has really helped me consolidate my learning, it has enhanced my knowledge, my skills and has really helped me think beyond what I am doing."
About this contributor
Assistant Practitioner
I am a second-year nursing student and an Assistant Practitioner with the district nurse team on the bank. I have always dreamed of being a nurse so this journey for me has been a long time coming. I started off as an HCA 9 years ago in a busy care home, I worked my way to a senior care assistant role and then to become an Assistant Practitioner. I have learned so much about myself along this journey about recognising where I need to improve to be a better nurse. I cannot wait to qualify!
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