Tracy’s new role as a Boots Healthcare Services Nurse

Hello, my name is Tracy and I qualified as a registered Nurse in 2010. I became a Nurse at the tender age of 41. I initially started my Health and Social Care training at Grimsby Institute of Higher Education for a year, which led to me completing an Access to Nursing course that gave me the grades I needed to enrol at Hull University for three years of Nurse training.

Tell us about joining Boots as a Healthcare Services Nurse

I had completed a busy five days of 12-hour shifts in a seven-day period and was scrolling through alternative Nurse careers when I saw the advert that Boots was hiring for a Nurse. The next day I decided to apply for the position. This was the best thing I had done in a very long time and I am proud to say I work for an excellent company. I was attracted to the role at Boots to learn new skills and knowledges, including travel vaccinations and travel health advising.

I have now worked at Boots for five months and during my time here my career has moved forwards and has allowed me to become a competent Travel Vaccination and Health Nurse Advisor. I have supported new Nurses to the role by being their designated buddy and have noticed they find this helpful and eases any anxieties they may have.

Training, Development and Support from Boots

My previous roles have been managerial and clinical, using venepuncture and arterial blood gas sampling skills which have enabled me to perform administration of vaccinations safely due to the familiarity of needles and needle safety. Some Nurses may not already have these skills; however, Boots have a fantastic, robust training programme that allows Nurses to develop further skills and grow in confidence.

Boots offer supportive Nurse training; the training is self-directed study with two days of face-to-face training. My two training days consisted of a Travel Vaccination and Health Advice study day in London and a day in Leicester to complete a Gateway to Pharmacy Services training day.

When I first started my self-directed study, the new workload could feel overwhelming at times. However, with support from our Nurse Governance Manager, Danielle, this training became more manageable each day. Danielle is always just a phone call or email away to have a friendly chat. I found the key to the self-directed study is to have good organisational skills and adopt a good working relationship with the Store Pharmacist who has all the travel training skills and has supported my learning journey. I have learned about NHS, private, corporate and PGD (Patient Group Directions) prescriptions. I would advise new Boots Healthcare Services Nurses to structure their training packages by breaking it down into sections and to embrace support from other Nurses and Pharmacists within their store.

A day in the life of a Boots Healthcare Services Nurse

A typical day starts by checking the daily calendar, check all vaccines and adrenaline are available, I check and record fridge temperatures, clean the clinic room and complete clinical audits. I update the Pharmacist on how many patients are booked in for the day, this allows identification for any walk-in customers and if I am busy performing a consultation the Pharmacist can support the walk-in patients in another consultation room.

As a Boots Healthcare Services Nurse, I offer a wide range of vaccination services to patients, such as Shingles, Chickenpox, Corporate Hep B, HPV, Pneumonia, Meningitis and Flu. Some patients can occasionally feel apprehensive to receiving some specialised vaccines, however, by using good effective communication skills, caring, and using evidence-based practice, these apprehensions dissolve and trust is achieved.

My role consists of introducing myself and welcoming the patient into the clinic room, acting as an advocate by maintaining dignity, respect and promoting equality. I discuss their travel itinerary with confidence and allow patient engagement. I perform a professional robust consultation which takes on average 40–45 minutes. This system and processes use the four nursing stages of APIE (assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation) to allow a holistic view for the patient. Once the consultation has been completed the system will identify which vaccines are recommended or to be considered for the patient, by using the knowledge gained through the training. In times when further support is needed, I am able to ring our advice helpline. I have had to show courage when it has not been safe to vaccinate, for example, a child who is too unsettled to vaccinate safely or a vaccine which is not suitable for certain age groups.

I have met some patients who have decided to travel alone due to difficult times, such as loss. Patients are given time to express their feelings freely and this allows me to support and empathise with them. These patients leave the service feeling listened to, supported and free from social isolation; I am surprised at the number of older patients who decide to take up an extensive travel itinerary alone and I admire their courage.

How are Healthcare Services Nurses making a big difference in Boots stores?

Nurses are making a difference within Boots stores. I believe it is important to have a Nurse working onsite daily after receiving positive feedback from customers. They express a sense of security towards their wellbeing. Team members will seek advice from myself for customers who come to the Healthcare counter if they require support. I will use the consultation room for delicate matters which allows the customer to speak freely in a safe place.

Nurses can react quickly to unforeseen medical circumstances by using their clinical skills and knowledge. Through my own experience, I have supported customers on several occasions and assisted with a medical emergency within the store. Furthermore, staff have reported they feel supported and safe in their work environment with a nurse working in store and have assisted and advised team members if they became unwell.

Why consider Boots for Nurse jobs?

I enjoy the job role very much; I love supporting patients whether they are adults or children, two days are never the same and I enjoy new challenges. I can work autonomously but I am supported when I need to be. Boots is an extremely rewarding place to work and identifies when teams do well. What stands out to me is that Boots is always looking at ways to improve customer and patient care and offer great services within the store. We are always changing for the better.

Team members are well looked after and always receive their break period; in previous workplaces I have never experienced robust breaks, therefore, it is nice to have time to sit down and have a meal in a staff room. Our Nurses uniforms are smart and provided by the company. I really would recommend Nurses to join Boots, it’s a fantastic, friendly, caring company that makes a big difference to patients who come into the store looking for safe, structured vaccines.

The working hours are very friendly too which is a bonus. I really like the working hours as they allow me an excellent work and home life balance. As a Nurse, I identify the importance of this aspect to allow safe care delivery for the patients. I enjoy the continuity of care delivery because many patients I care for need several vaccinations to complete their treatment, this helps build a great rapport and trust with the patients. Furthermore, as a part of Boots, Nurses can also have a staff discount card and a family member is entitled to one too. This is a lovely perk of the job and makes me feel a valued member of the team.

Join Tracy and help change wellbeing for the better at Boots. Read more and apply for Nurse jobs here.