The Voluntary Standards on District Nurse Education and Practice developed jointly by the QNI and QNI Scotland have been endorsed by organisations such as HEE, the RCN and Macmillan Cancer Support.
The standards were launched at the QNI’s annual conference in September 2015. They were developed by the community nursing organisations to update and enhance the relevant NMC standards, which were originally published in 1994. Other organisations that have endorsed the standards include the Association of District Nurse Educators, Marie Curie, and the National District Nursing Network.
‘Community and primary care nursing services in England are at the very forefront of individualised services that need to be shaped by the voices of service users, carers and the public, in response to their health needs,’ said Lisa Bayliss-Pratt, director of nursing at Health Education England. ‘That is why we welcome those standards, which represent a step forward in setting and establishing the standards that underpin the delivery of high-quality patient care.’
The charities are recommending that the voluntary standards are adopted by all education providers currently offering the NMC-approved Specialist Practice District Nurse programme in the UK. They are available on the QNI website.
‘We are delighted that so many influential organisations in healthcare have recognised the vital importance of the QNI/QNIS voluntary standards for district nurse education and practice,’ Crystal Oldman, the QNI’s chief executive, said. ‘The standards reflect a consensus view of the role of the district nurse in the 21st century, which is fundamental to the delivery of excellent care in peoples’ homes and communities: a shared purpose for all of the endorsing organisations.’