Expert: Karen Moss - 1/31/2012

Question
Dear Kate ,i am going for a community staff nurse position and would be very grateful if you could offer me any advise re the potential questions .I am familiar with the lone working policy as well as the risk assessment policy.
Many Thanks
Anna

Answer
Good luck with this - it is Karen not Kate!!

I think you need to be aware of the local policies i.e. when I trained as a District Nurse, the emphasis was on assessment of the holistic patient/family etc. whereas now, where I am based it is all task orientation - a real step back in time. I am no longer a district nurse, but am a community matron, based within a complex care team. In that the DNs also manage some of the virtual ward beds, and so you may need an understanding of this, if that is similar in your area.

Be aware of the primary health care team in the widest sense, be able to have strategies for communication with all the members, and also be aware of the changes that the RCN and the BMA are trying to block with GP commissioning.  NHS reforms are NOT going to be beneficial to patients or staff, so be careful how you answer any questions about this. The RCN website has lots of information.

They may give you some scenarios, regarding patient care: palliative, leg ulcer management, wound care etc.

All the best

Karen