In your day-to-day duties you may:

• carry out physical examinations and treatments
• refer patients to a specialist
• manage the care and support patients receive
• identify patients who may be at risk of being admitted to hospital when they don't need to be
• manage services to make sure the focus of care is in the home and community for as long as possible
• teach patients, carers and relatives to spot changes that could lead to conditions getting worse
• organise extra support, like home care or respite care
• make sure policy guidelines and procedures are followed
• maintain patient records

You could work at a hospice, in a prison, at an adult care home, at a client's home or in an NHS or private hospital.

Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.

With experience, you could progress to service management level and become head of community nursing.

You could also move into health promotion work, teaching or training.