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You will need to be a registered nurse with a post graduate degree, depending on the speciality you could work in a variety of fields.

Entry or experience requirements    

An interest in women’s health having worked on a gynaecology ward or in theatre as scrub nurse would be advantageous.

Training and development

Ability to study at post graduate level  / willingness to undertake Phd and to undertake further specific practical training to initially acquire advanced nurse practitioner title and accreditation in the speciality ie Colposcopy or hysteroscopy. 

Career development    

When qualified as an advanced nurse practitioner further study and responsibilities can lead to a role as a nurse consultant. There would be an expectation to deliver an expert clinical role, engaging in nurse leadership, education and research as well as involvement regionally and Nationally. This in turn would lead to more corporate responsibility. 

Pay and benefits    

The banding for nurse consultants range from Band 8A – 8D

Registration    

You would need to be a Registered Nurse and would need to hold accreditation in the specialist field. 

 

My story: Karen Snelgrove

Length of time in Trust

20 years

How I got into the role

After having spent 5 years at Charing Cross Hospital I was desperate to move back home and found myself at the Nuffield Hospital. Although coming from a high dependency unit, I found the ward work equally as exciting due to the varied experience of all the specialities encountered. It gave valuable experience of managing a busy ward. I decided to specialise further and completed my midwifery training and worked on the labour ward as a midwife. However, I returned to working on a busy surgical ward and did not stay in that field.

I had three children in quick succession and worked for two split nights a week during that time. It was exhausting but enabled me to continue with my career. I left nursing altogether when my marriage ended and I became self-employed having bought a dry cleaning business and got involved in yacht valeting too!

I found I missed showing empathy to people when they were at their most vulnerable and generally “making a difference”.  Being self-employed was also very precarious financially and definitely not rewarding, so I applied to do the “return to practice programme” - that was 20 years ago. I worked in various places on the Plymouth NHSP and then was successful at interview in the Gynaecology outpatients department and did further post graduate training to accredit in in colposcopy and hysteroscopy.

What I do

I am the Cervical Screening Programme Lead for the Hospital and clinical lead of the colposcopy service and am responsible for the quality and delivery of the service. I also perform colposcopy and hysteroscopy clinics autonomously and provide nurse leadership to the team. I am a National trainer and examiner, chair MDT and am the lead for cervical screening governance. I represent the Trust regionally / nationally and lead on developing and implementing new pathways. Primarily my work is clinical although it does have a strategic and corporate arm, also working with PHE.
The best bits and challenges.

The best bits are spending time in clinic with patients and staff, we have a great team; the challenges are when I do too much of that and then struggle with time restraints on other aspects of the role. 

Life outside of work

I love my job but still look forward to Fridays! I run a small property business alongside my work but still have time to walk the dogs, see the grandchildren, paint and decorate etc etc 

Career plan and top tips

Don’t underestimate what you can achieve, the busier you are the more you tend to accomplish. Stay driven– it’s what makes you move forward and who you become. Good luck in your journey, its fun!