Nurses have more options than just working in Hospitals and Care Homes.
After Covid, many nurses are looking for new challenges and want to explore new opportunities.
Many are unfamiliar with the sector of nursing – “Complex Care Nursing” and have little knowledge of the sector, the type of positions available, the career potential and also the incredible personal reward of this type of care, not to mention the financial and work-life balance benefits a nurse can experience working in Complex Care.
Complex Care Nursing is a specialist service for people with health and social needs. At Paediatric Community Nursing, we specialise in various conditions and complex care needs from
- brain injury
- spinal injuries
- neurological disorders
- motor neurone disease
- air management needs
- physical disabilities
- genetic conditions
- learning disabilities
As health professionals in this sector, you give support and care to patients to enhance their quality of life in the comfort and security of their own homes. Your role as a nurse is not only centred on providing immediate care but also on promoting our clients’ independence, social involvement, well-being and quality of life.
It is similar to community nursing as you provide the service in the community setting or the client’s home. However, your patients do not vary daily or from shift to shift. You provide care and give attention to your one patient you see every shift. This allows you to understand your patient and their families more as you look after them in their homes and not in a traditional clinical setting.
What a normal day looks like!
Our nurses’ daily activities are centred on carrying out care plans based on the personalised needs of our patients. The care plan would guide the nurses and carers on what they must do daily. This will include personal care, administering medication and nutritional needs and helping them with their daily activities.
Benefits of working as a Complex Care Nurse
There are many benefits when working as a complex care nurse. First is the remuneration it provides. The salary and benefits packages are highly competitive.
Another benefit of working in this sector is having a good work-life balance and being able to plan your diary in advance.
Establishing good rapport and getting to know your clients well, including their families, is also a plus. Since our nurses are accountable to only one patient at any given time, they are more empowered and capable of providing a high level of care. We do not compromise the quality of care we provide our clients.
Opportunities for career growth are also available in this sector. Our nurses can move up to Management positions, such as Area Managers.
What are the challenges of working as a Complex Care Nurse?
Adjusting to this new way of working is the initial challenge a nurse can face in complex care. Having previously worked in a hospital or a care home, you will be used to working within a team. You will have to learn to work independently and manage a remote team.
Building rapport with the client and their family goes two ways. On one hand, knowing them can be of great help but may also be the first challenge our Nurses and Carers face. It is vital for us to gain their trust. Once we have established the relationship, we can work better and with ease whilst the client and their family see the results and be delighted with our care.
How do I become a Complex Care Nurse?
To succeed in this sector, you must possess the core skills of a nurse, relevant experience, and the right attitude.
The core skills of a Complex Care nurse are the same as any nurse in conventional clinical settings. It is easier to take care of the client and has their family’s support if they know their nurse understands their situation. Being compassionate and caring is a must as our clients are often vulnerable and have complex needs. Good communication skills are advantageous, and empathy is essential in this role. Listening is also paramount to the job because everyone wants to be heard, and good listening skills will allow them to be heard.
Being a lone worker or working in a small team, complex care nurses are expected to take on a leadership role and be assertive. There will be times when nurses need to make and implement critical decisions for the care of their clients.
Our nurses must have experience working in either a hospital or the care home sector. Having previous experience working with vulnerable patients with complex care needs is also beneficial. However, if a nurse joins our team and does not have the experience, we provide training and continuous support for both new starters and current nursing team members.
If you are looking for a different challenge outside the limitations of the walls of a hospital or a care home, then consider complex care nursing. Complex care nursing is not only an excellent opportunity for better remuneration, but it also offers a brand of care that does not compromise on quality and positively impacts the day-to-day lives of clients who needs our care and service.
