Jennifer Donaldson

Working as part of the Midlothian Vaccination Team, delivering NHS vaccination programmes across GP practices, care homes, community clinics, community hospitals, pop-up clinics and patients’ homes. Providing safe, person-centred vaccination care to a diverse range of patient groups, including vulnerable and housebound individuals.

• Independently assess patients for vaccine suitability using clinical judgement and national guidance, including PGDs and Green Book recommendations.

• Administer over 20 vaccines through the Vaccination Transformation Programme and seasonal vaccination campaigns.

• Run clinics autonomously and as part of a wider team, adapting to different clinical environments and patient needs.

• Maintain high standards of clinical governance, including accurate documentation, consent, infection prevention and cold chain management.

• Provide patients with education, reassurance and support to promote informed decision-making and improve vaccine confidence.

Care Home Link Nurse

• Develop and maintain strong working relationships with care home managers and staff across Midlothian, supporting safe and effective vaccination delivery for residents.

• Provide guidance and support ahead of winter and spring vaccination campaigns, improving communication, preparation and coordination between care homes and the vaccination team.

• Developed and implemented processes to support care home readiness, improve information sharing and enhance the efficiency of vaccination visits.

• Work collaboratively with partner services to ensure the timely delivery of vaccination programmes for vulnerable populations.

• Work flexibly across a variety of NHS Lothian clinical areas, maintaining a broad range of nursing skills while supporting services during periods of fluctuating demand.
• Adapt quickly to different clinical environments, multidisciplinary teams and patient groups, consistently delivering safe, high-quality, person-centred care.
• Provide nursing care across a range of specialities including general surgery, orthopaedics, medicine of the elderly and community services.
• Support seasonal vaccination programmes, including school-based influenza vaccination clinics and winter vaccination campaigns.
• Maintain clinical competence through regular practice in diverse healthcare settings, demonstrating flexibility, professionalism and effective teamwork.

Based within a GP practice, providing autonomous nursing care across a range of treatment room services and supporting patients with long-term conditions.

• Delivered a range of primary care nursing interventions, including venepuncture, wound care, vaccinations, B12 injections, observations and chronic disease monitoring.

• Supported patients through annual reviews and health promotion and education to encourage self-management of long-term conditions.

• Undertook planned home visits for housebound patients, providing care including blood sampling, observations and prescribed treatments.

• Developed strong clinical assessment skills and confidence in working independently within a GP practice environment.

• Worked closely with GPs and the wider multidisciplinary team to ensure safe, effective and person-centred care.

• Provided high-quality nursing care to patients with complex acute and chronic vascular conditions, including peripheral vascular disease and diabetes.
• Delivered holistic pre- and post-operative care, including wound management, IV therapy, medication administration, discharge planning and end-of-life care.
• Developed strong clinical assessment skills by caring for patients with complex needs and recognising changes in their condition.
• Cared for patients requiring enhanced monitoring in the Level 1 step-down high dependency area following major surgery or upon their return from ITU/HDU.
• Regularly coordinated the ward as Nurse in Charge, overseeing patient flow, admissions, discharges and staffing, while working closely with the multidisciplinary team to ensure safe, effective care.