Introduction

Providing dermatology care to the large number of people with skin disease requires a workforce that is appropriately trained and competent to meet patients’ needs safely and effectively. Nurses form a critical part of the team that provides that care and they are increasingly developing new skills and approaches that complement the skills of the other healthcare professionals they work with.

Here, we aim to provide practical guidance for developing these more advanced roles, with signposting to additional resources.

It should be noted that the roles and responsibilities outlined throughout this resource will vary according to service needs in different regions and places of work, and should be seen as a guide rather than definitive job descriptions.

As well as detailing the competences that must be demonstrated by individual nurses moving into new roles, this concise resource considers the organisational responsibility required to ensure that these more advanced roles are undertaken against a backdrop of effective clinical governance.

After reading this Fast Facts resource, dermatology nurses will: • be aware of a variety of career pathways in subspecialist dermatology fields • have a clear understanding of the clinical skills required in these areas • know how to proceed with their training.

Dermatology offers many exciting career pathways in which nurses can fully utilise their nursing skills. We hope that this will be a valuable resource for any dermatology nurse looking to develop their career.

© S. Karger Publishers Ltd 2023