District nurses care for people of all ages in a variety of non-hospital settings including patients' homes, GP surgeries and residential care homes. They aim to respond quickly and intensively to patients' needs to enable them to avoid hospital admission, or be discharged early.

The duties of a district nurse will usually include:

• assessing, planning and managing the care of patients
• administering drugs
• checking temperatures, blood pressure and respiration rates
• assisting doctors with physical examinations
• giving injections
• cleaning and dressing wounds
• administering blood transfusions and drips.

District nurses manage a caseload of patients, and may progress into leading a team of more junior staff. Their work may also involve:

• running clinics for people with diabetes
• performing minor surgery
• carrying out a range of resuscitation procedures.

They work with other health professionals supporting the family and carers of the patient. They offer emotional support to the patient and their family and, where appropriate, teach basic care giving skills.

Hours and Environment

The district nursing service is generally provided between 8am and 5pm, Monday to Friday. Out of hours work may be covered by an on-call rota of nurses or through a dedicated team of out of hours staff.

District nurses are usually based at a health centre, as part of a community health care team. The work involves a good deal of travelling, so a driving licence is often seen as essential.

The work can be very demanding both physically and emotionally.

Skills and Interests

To be a district nurse, you should:

• have the ability to work with people of all ages and backgrounds
• have excellent communication and listening skills
• be confident, adaptable and resourceful
• be tactful, understanding, patient and sensitive
• be in good health and physically fit
• have the ability to teach others how to carry out routine nursing tasks
• be able to work well in a team and on your own initiative
• be well organised and have a thorough approach to record keeping
• have the ability to anticipate and identify potential health problems.

Entry

To be eligible for training as a district nurse you must be a qualified and registered nurse in the adult branch, with one or two years' experience of professional practise.

To qualify as a registered nurse you need to complete a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) approved degree or Diploma of Higher Education in Nursing, specialising in the adult nursing branch. The NMC require all qualified nurses in the UK to join their register.

To gain entry onto an approved course you need to satisfy some general requirements. These include:

• providing evidence of your literacy and numeracy, good health and good character, and recent successful study experience
• meeting the minimum age requirement for nurse training - 17.5 years old in England, 17 in Scotland, and 18 in Northern Ireland and Wales
• agreeing to undergo a criminal records bureau check; however, a criminal conviction does not automatically exclude you from working within the NHS.

Institutions offering approved nursing courses are entitled to set their own specific educational entry requirements.

The academic entry requirements for a Nursing Diploma are likely to include five GCSEs (A-C)/S grades (1-3) preferably in English, maths and/or a science-based subject. In England applications for the diploma are made through NMAS; for all other regions check the contact listed in Further Information.

The academic entry requirements for a Nursing Degree will usually include the same GCSE/S grades and subjects as the diploma plus two or three A levels/H grades, possibly including a biological science. Applications for the degree are made through UCAS, see Further Information.

Alternative qualifications, such as an Access to Higher Education, may also be accepted for entry onto diploma or degree programmes. Please check with colleges or universities for exact entry requirements.

If you are a registered nurse who previously trained in the child, mental health, or learning disability branches, or you are a graduate in a health-related subject, you may be able to undertake a two year postgraduate pre-registration nursing course. This will ultimately allow you access on to further training as a district nurse. Check with individual institutions for entry details; applications are made through NMAS.

For more information on alternative routes into nursing, please check the nursing job profiles.

Training

As a registered nurse you must take a (shortened) degree or postgraduate diploma if you wish to practise as a district nurse. Courses are one year full-time or two years part-time; NHS Careers hold a list of course providers. Postgraduate courses may be an option if you are an experienced graduate nurse.

Courses in this area are often known as the Specialist Practitioner Programme. District nursing is sometimes referred to simply as nursing in the home.

Courses will usually involve studying areas such as:

• community practice 
• public health
• counselling 
• social policy.

Courses will also include practical placements supervised by an experienced district nurse.

As a qualified nurse you need to renew your professional registration with the NMC every three years. In order to re-register you must complete a minimum of five days (35 hours) relevant learning within the previous three year period. This can be anything that has helped you maintain or develop your role within nursing. Check the NMC website for information on additional criteria and advice.

Former registered nurses or midwives wishing to return to the profession can take a return-to-practice course, available throughout the UK, consisting of a mixture of theory and practice. Contact NHS Careers for more details; see Further Information section.

Opportunities

District nurses are employed by NHS Trusts and generally they are attached to one or more GP surgery. There is a steady demand for new district nurses. There are also opportunities to work in research, education or for a statutory nursing body, developing training.

There are promotion opportunities available in clinical specialisms, health service management or teaching.

There are opportunities to work abroad, especially in developing countries.

Annual Income

Figures are intended as a guideline only.

District nurses can earn between £22,500 and £32,000 a year.
A district nurse sister (Team Manager) can earn between £27,000 and £36,500.

Extra allowances can be earned for additional responsibilities and length of service.

Further information

School of Nursing
Shore Road
Newtownabbey
Co Antrim
BT37 0QB
Tel: 08700 400 700 Rosehill
New Barn Lane
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL52 3LZ
Tel: 0870 1122 211 Rosehill
New Barn Lane
Cheltenham
Gloucestershire
GL52 3LZ
Tel: 0870 112 2206 for general enquiries
Tel: 0870 112 2200 for application packs 23 Portland Place
London
W1B 1PZ
Tel: 020 7637 7181
Registration contacts
Overseas: 020 7333 6600
General: 020 7333 9333 School of Nursing and Midwifery
Medical Biology Centre
97 Lisburn Road
Belfast
BT9 7BL
Tel: 028 9097 2233

33-37 Moreland Street
London
EC1V 8HA
Tel: 020 7503 3000

Innovation House
Bridgend Road
Llanharan
CF72 9RP
Tel: 01443 233 333 22 Queen Street
Edinburgh
EH2 1JX
Tel: 0131 226 7371 Tel: 08000 150 850
Email: learning@nhscareers.nhs.uk PO Box 376
Bristol
BS99 3EY
Tel: 0845 606 0655