Structure

The workbooks are used in tandem with a period of observation, followed by supervised management of patients with minor illnesses. The programme takes around six months, based on training sessions of around four hours per week. The nurse should then have achieved a standard for safe practice in the minor illness setting.

As nurse specialists in minor illness they will be able to see most patients with undifferentiated problems, make diagnosis and prescribe treatment, as well as providing nursing care.

By increasing skills in communication and health promotion nurses can encourage patients to deal with many of these problems themselves, and where a prescription is needed they will be able to complete this, leaving only the legal requirement that a doctor checks and signs the prescription.

The programme is flexible and can be used effectively to train individuals within the workplace, or groups attending sessions for discussions and participation.

A suitable mentor for this programme would be a nurse with the Community Practice Teacher's qualification, who has also completed a recognised minor illness course.  Alternatively, a local GP tutor or trainer, or a GP in the nurse's own practice who has the required interest skills, could act as a mentor..

A 24 page guide describes how the programme can be used as self-directed learning with mentor-support, or in more formal groups.  It also covers the programme structure, assignment/marking options and answers to the exercises.

To see an extract of the Mentor's Guide please click here.