A comparison of job descriptions for nurse practitioners working in out-of-hours primary care services: implications for workforce planning, patients and nursing

Abstract

Aim: To compare and contrast job descriptions for nursing roles in out-of-hours (OOH) services to obtain a general understanding of what is required for a nurse working in this job. Background: OOH services provide nursing services to patients either through telephone or face to face contact in care centres. Many of these services are newly created giving job opportunities to nurses working in this area. It is vital that nurses know what their role entails but also that patients and other professionals know how OOH nurses function in terms of competence and clinical role. Design: Content analysis of OOH job descriptions. Method: Content analysis of a convenience sample of 16 job descriptions of OOH nurses from 5 OOH care providers across England was undertaken. The findings were narratively synthesised, supported by tabulation. Results: Key role descriptors were examined in terms of: job titles, managerial skills, clinical skills, professional qualifications and previous experience. Content analysis of each OOH job description revealed a lack of consensus in clinical competence and skills required related to job title although there were many similarities in skills across all the roles. Conclusion: This study highlights key differences and some similarities between roles and job titles in OOH nursing but requires a larger study to inform workforce planning. Relevance to clinical practice: OOH nursing is a developing area of practice which requires clarity to ensure patient safety and quality care.

What does this paper contribute to the wider global clinical community? • There is a need for a consensus of opinion for nursing roles in OOH care linked to education, professional regulation and competence, based on expectations linked to particular job titles. • Educational and professional standards are required for different roles, which has implications for the training of OOH practitioners. • Health providers trying to meet the expectations of service users for 24 hour health care globally may invest in OOH nursing to meet demand