Equipping Advanced Practitioners with the skills, insight, and confidence to lead in modern primary care
The Advanced Practitioner in Primary Care is a timely resource that provides current and aspiring Advanced Practitioners (APs) with a practical roadmap for delivering high-quality, patient-centred care in complex and fast-paced primary care environments. Built on the four pillars of advanced practice—clinical practice, leadership, education, and research—this text supports practitioners in bridging the gap between academic theory and clinical application.
Written by experienced clinicians and educators, this book is framed by national and international guidelines—applicable to adult, paediatric, and mental health contexts—and reinforced by real-world case studies that contextualise concepts and build confidence in managing diverse clinical scenarios.
Providing the structured support and evidence-informed guidance necessary for confident, competent, and reflective practice, The Advanced Practitioner in Primary Care:
- Covers complex consultation skills, clinical reasoning, systems-based clinical assessments, and decision-making with evidence-informed guidance
- Addresses the management of uncertainty and diverse patient presentations, including frailty and paediatrics
- Offers practical insights on getting the most from supervision and professional development pathways
- Includes a dedicated chapter on prescribing and medication management tailored for APs
- Discusses the evolving scope of the AP role in the context of local, national, and international policy
The Advanced Practitioner in Primary Care is essential reading for trainee and established APs working in primary care, as well as for nurses, paramedics, pharmacists, physiotherapists, and other professionals transitioning into general practice. It is also ideal for postgraduate programmes in advanced clinical practice and a valuable resource for educators and primary care teams supporting AP development.
Table of Contents:
Preface xxiii
Acknowledgements xxv
Unit 1 The ACP Role in Primary Care 1
Chapter 1 Scope of Practice and Role Within Primary Care 3
Chapter 2 How to Get the Most from Supervision in Primary Care 14
Chapter 3 Patient-centered Care 28
Chapter 4 Clinical Uncertainty 43
Unit 2 Leadership 53
Chapter 5 Leadership 55
Chapter 6 Research 68
Chapter 7 Education and Teaching in Primary Care 79
Unit 3 Consultation Skills 89
Chapter 8 Consultation Models 91
Chapter 9 Advanced Clinical Reasoning 105
Unit 4 Clinical Examination and Assessment 119
Chapter 10 History Taking in Primary Care 121
Chapter 11 Introduction to Clinical Examination in Primary Care 138
Chapter 12 The Respiratory System 156
Chapter 13 Cardiovascular Assessment 180
Chapter 14 Abdominal and an Overview of Genitourinary Assessment 197
Chapter 15 Neurology Assessment 225
Chapter 16 Musculoskeletal and Rheumatological
Chapter 17 Ear, Nose, and Throat Examination 278
Chapter 18 Dermatology in Primary Care 294
Chapter 19 Pediatric Presentations in Primary Care 317
Chapter 20 Mental Health Presentations in Primary Care 339
Chapter 21 Frailty Assessment 357
Chapter 22 The Advanced Clinical Practitioner as a Prescriber 368
Chapter 23 Completing the Consultation and Developing as an
Index 393
About the Author :
Josey Coaten is a lecturer and Programme Director for the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice at the University of Hull. An experienced registered nurse and Advanced Clinical Practitioner, she is also a non-medical independent prescriber. Josey brings extensive experience from primary care, having held roles from practice nurse to Senior ACP. She holds a postgraduate certificate in academic practice and is a Fellow of AdvancedHE.
Sarah Pay has experience as a lecturer in the MSc Advanced Clinical Practice programme at the University of Hull and currently works as an ACP and clinical educator at Haxby Group. With a background in adult nursing, she has worked extensively in primary care as both a practice nurse and a Senior ACP. She is a non-medical prescriber and holds a postgraduate certificate in academic practice, as well as being a Fellow of AdvancedHE.
