Emma Smith

Job title

District nurse – Gateshead Health NHS

Why district nursing?

Colleagues I work with had successfully completed this apprenticeship, which influenced my decision. Completing it allowed me to progress from a community staff nurse to a district nurse in my workplace.

How have you found your apprenticeship?

It’s been very interesting, with all content directly relevant to the modern district nursing role. It was challenging and took commitment to balance academic work with working full-time in the NHS, but the skills I’ve gained have positively impacted my nursing career and the level of patient care I can provide.

What skills have you gained?

I use my clinical skills and prescribing qualification in my day-to-day practice, providing enhanced clinical assessments and holistic care to patients in their homes.

I am a line manager, so I have applied the leadership skills I gained and always strive to promote a positive and supportive workplace for my team.

Completing a community profile gave me a better understanding of the key health issues and levels of deprivation in the population I care for, which informs my practice and caseload management.

I also gained the opportunity to critically think, encouraging innovation and ideas to continually improve district nursing services.

Tell us about the support you received

My practice supervisors and assessor were supportive and approachable throughout my time on the course, helping me to safely put my learning into practice.

Teaching on the course was engaging, with tutors demonstrating an excellent level of knowledge.

Would you recommend this course?

Yes – it offers lots of valuable learning opportunities, enhancing knowledge and skills in patient care. It’s an opportunity for personal and professional development in community nursing, with ever increasing demand for highly skilled district nurses to care for patients in our communities.