Study of the Implementation of a New Community Health Nurse Role in Scotland

ANNEX B: GLOSSARY OF TERMS

Community Staff Nurse: A registered nurse who works in the community as part of the district nursing and/or health visiting team. The role does not require them to hold a specific specialist community qualification but involves caring for those on the district nursing or health visiting caseload. They may be based at a health centre or general practitioner premises.

District Nurse (DN): A registered nurse who holds a specific community specialist practitioner qualification and provides nursing care to people in their own homes and in other settings in the community. They may be based at a health centre or general practitioner premises and work in teams with other professionals and agencies

Health Visitor (HV): A registered nurse or midwife who holds a specialist community public health nursing qualification and is also registered as a "Specialist Community Public Health Nurse". They promote the health and wellbeing of communities and aim to prevent ill health. They also work with individuals and have an important role in supporting children in the early years of life and their families. They may be based at a health centre or general practitioner premises and work in teams with other professionals and agencies.

General Practice Nurse (GPN): A registered nurse who may have a specific community specialist qualification and is employed by a GP practice to provide a range of services usually within the surgery for the practice population. Services may include, managing long term conditions, treating minor injuries and illness and delivering health screening programmes.

Public Health Nurse (PHN): A registered nurse or midwife who is registered as a "Specialist Community Public Health Nurse" on the third part of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Register". Introduced in 2001, in this model of practice there is no discernible difference between the role of a health visitor and that of a school nurse. Both have a public health focus, but work with children and young people at different stages of their development and in different community settings. Public Health Nurses share a common education programme and work together to address the needs of communities, co-ordinated at Community Health Partnership level.

School Nurse: A registered nurse who provides a variety of services to children and young people within schools. Services include health and sex education, developmental screening, immunisation programmes and health interviews. They may have a specific community specialist qualification and are usually registered as a "Specialist Community Public Health Nursing" (school nurse) on the third part of the Nursing and Midwifery Council's Register".

Team Leader: It is a requirement in Scotland that team leaders in public health nursing (schools) hold a specialist practitioner qualification and are graded at the same level as other public health nurses (existing health visitors).

Multiple Role Nurse: Multiple Role Nurses comprise Family health Nurses and, those who hold more than one role.