Medicine

Medical Specialities includes acute inpatient wards that manage patients who have a medical condition ranging from a respiratory condition to endocrine, stroke or cardiology. This speciality will also include general outpatient areas.

Areas include:

• General medicine
• Gastroenterology - You would be involved in providing person-centred care for patients who have a gastrointestinal disease of the stomach, bowel or oesophagus.
• Renal – You will be involved in monitoring and managing a patient’s kidney function alongside the rest of the renal team. This may include dialysis, kidney transplant or conservative care.
• Respiratory – You would be part of a team that helps to treat and manage those who have a respiratory disease such as COPD, pneumonia or lung cancer. Respiratory diseases affect approximately 1 in 5 in the UK.
• Stroke – As part of the Stroke team you would be involved in the person-centred, multi-disciplinary care of patients who have had a stroke. This would include the general monitoring of the patient's health and supporting other specialities to achieve the best outcome for the patient.
• Frailty/Care of the Elderly
• Haematology – As a haematology nurse you would be involved in the specialised care of patients who have blood diseases or cancers.
• Cardiology – Within the cardiology department you would be involved in the care of patients who have a cardiac condition such as atrial fibrillation, coronary artery disease or who have had a myocardial infarction.
• Outpatient Departments
• Medical Assessment Units/Acute Medical Units – These units work as a gateway between the emergency department and the wards within the hospitals. They will assist the Emergency Department with a steady flow of patients throughout the hospital. While working on a Medical assessment unit you would be helping to treat and care for patients who have a wide range of medical conditions such as those listed above.
• Medical Day Case Unit – These units will provide a wide range of treatments to patients as a day case method meaning they do not have to stay in hospital and can recuperate at home.
• Diabetes Specialties - As part of the Diabetes nursing team you would be helping to treat, prevent and early detection of someone who has diabetes.

Surgery

Surgical Specialities include the wards and areas that will manage patients who require theatre for a range of cases such as Trauma & Orthopaedic, Vascular or elective surgery. Areas include:

• General Surgery
• Trauma & Orthopaedics – Trauma and Orthopaedics nursing team look after patients who have required surgery following a traumatic event or due to a musculoskeletal disorder.
• Urology – You will be working as part of the team looking after the patient’s bladder, kidney or urethra.
• ENT (Ear, Nose and Throat) – Working within this team you will be helping to treat patients who have a condition affecting their ear nose or throat such as Tinnitus, laryngitis or tonsillitis.
• Cardiology/Cardiothoracic Surgery – Similar to Cardiology within medicine you will be working as part of a multi-disciplinary team to treat and care for patients who have recently undergone cardiothoracic surgeries such as angioplasty, stent placement or open-heart surgery.
• Vascular Surgery – as part of this team you will be caring for patients who have had a chronic vascular disease. Assisting the team with treatment and possibly minor surgeries.
• Surgery Day case – Within the surgery day-case team you will be preparing patients for surgery and caring for patients post-surgery. These patients are then able to be discharged and recover at home.
• Elective Surgery

Peri-operative

The perioperative environment is home to the many healthcare professionals who provide safe, effective care for those people requiring elective, urgent or emergency surgical and diagnostic procedures. Areas include:

• Anaesthetics – As an Anaesthetics nurse you will be assisting the Anaesthetist to administer the anaesthetic. Additionally, you will help to prepare and maintain the equipment required.
• Theatres – As a theatres nurse you will be assisting the theatre team to provide care before, during and post-surgery. During surgery, you will be helping the surgeons and anaesthetist as required.
• ICU/HDU – Within the ICU/HDU environment you will be required to work as part of the MDT to provide care for patients who are often intubated or ventilated.
• Endo – Endoscopy nurses assist doctors with the procedures. You will be working as part of an MDT to alleviate patient concerns, observe patients clinical NEWS score and administer any medications required.
• Recovery – Caring for patients who are recovering from anaesthesia post-surgery. Monitoring clinical NEWS score and assessing levels of consciousness, observing for any adverse side effects.
• DPU – You will be working as part of a team in caring for patient’s pre and post-surgery. Providing advice on home care after the patients are discharged. This is a fast-paced area of nursing due to a high turnover of patients.
• Perioperative assessment - As a pre-assessment nurse you will be performing checks pre-surgery for patients. These checks can include a full medical history, clinical observations and ECG.

Other specialities

Other specialities include a range of areas as listed below

• Emergency medicine – Working in the Emergency Department is very fast-paced and requires organisation and working as part of the MDT. You will treat all conditions that come through the door and be involved in response to emergencies.
• Neo Nate – Neonatal nursing is the care of the premature or sick baby. You will be working as part of the MDT to care for the baby but to also provide reassurance to the child’s parents. A new-born can suffer from a range of conditions such as neonatal sepsis or necrotising enterocolitis.
• Transition Ward (SET Specific)– Transition ward is an area where patients will be cared for until a suitable placement or package of care is put in place to better care for the patient in the community.
• Gynaecology - is the care of the pregnant woman, her unborn child and the management of diseases specific to women. This is a varied speciality mostly caring for healthy women who present with unexpected challenges.
• Neurology/Rehab - You will work as part of the MDT to treat and prevent nervous system symptoms. Helping to care for conditions such as stroke, Parkinson’s or multiple sclerosis.

Community

This speciality is centred on keeping patients well and in their home environment. Areas include:

• District – District nurses visit people in their own home to help them manage various conditions such as diabetes and wound care. They play a vital role in trying to reduce hospital admissions.
• Acute Care at Home - Working within Acute care at home you will be visiting patients homes to provide acute care. This can include IV antibiotics. You will play a vital role in reducing hospital admissions or discharges from the hospital.