The Association of Coloproctology Nurses are committed to supporting the educational needs of specialist nurses and allied health professionals working in coloproctology. Education to support specialist and advanced practice is not just about extending and maintaining clinical expertise but building non-clinical knowledge, using opportunities to learn from and with each other and participating in all aspects of clinical research.
Resources, study days and courses to extend clinical knowledge and expertise
Keep abreast of upcoming study days and courses and the release of new resources by joining our closed Facebook page and/or signing up for our Twitter feeds. Similar information portals are available from our sister organisations:
Colorectal study days, workshops and courses can be found by searching the internet for ‘colorectal course/study day for nurses’. Use peer-reviewed publications in nursing and subject-specific journals to ensure practice is current and evidence-based. The Association’s Journal, Colorectal Disease, is available at a subsidised fee for members.
Specialist qualifications
Some specialist nursing roles in coloproctology require an additional qualification for nurses to practice independently. Search the pages of your local higher education institution to find out information about national courses leading to a range of professional and academic qualifications, in particular:
Non-medical prescribing: search the internet for ‘independent and supplementary non-medical (or nurse) prescribing’ and your region or local higher education institution to find a course close to you.
Non-clinical knowledge for specialist colorectal practice
Nurses and allied health professionals specialising in coloproctology require additional non-specialist knowledge and skills to optimise the patient care they provide for patients. These can include: leadership, service improvement and innovation, financial and service management, advanced communication, multidisciplinary team working, law and ethics, audit and service evaluation. Make the most of local and online educational resources to help you to develop these knowledge and skills and build a CV that will support your professional advancement. Useful websites include:
Networking and collaboration
Our members consistently report how much they value opportunities to meet and collaborate with other specialists in their professional field. Networking with others can provide an alternative perspective on challenges in our practice and help us to keep abreast of new guidelines, clinical developments, current research and innovative practice. Providing our members with local and national opportunities for networking and collaboration is key to the strategic focus of the ACPN.
Use the links to our sister organisations above to access other collaborative networks relevant to specialist clinical practice in coloproctology.
Research
The UK has a global reputation for conducting meaningful and rigorous research addressing important clinical problems in coloproctology. The ACPGBI is at the heart of this research agenda and membership of the Association provides nurses and allied health professionals with a unique opportunity to hear about studies in progress and newly reported research findings. Specialist nurses in coloproctology are increasingly expected to be involved in clinical research and so developing research knowledge and skills is an essential component of our educational focus. Many members will be planning and undertaking their own research as they work towards postgraduate qualifications, investigate clinical problems encountered in practice or embark upon a clinical academic career pathway.
Useful sources of funding and information for nurses wishing to undertake research can be found using the following links: