Nursing
What qualifications will I need ? Nursing is now one of the most popular university subjects with 5 applications for each place CCC or BCC would be a common offer made for degree courses or a mixture of Merits and Distinctions from vocational courses Some courses will require Biology A level or another science. Most will ask for GCSE grade Cs in English, Maths and Science Check with your teachers to find out your predicted grades. Make sure they are good enough to meet likely offers Offers will be made on the basis of your predicted grades NOT on what you think you can get at the end of the course Check the ‘Course Specific Requirements’ on the Entry Profile for each course on the UCAS website
Types of nursing Adult Nurse: Adult nurses work with diverse health conditions, both chronic and acute. Work may be based in hospital wards, clinics or, community settings and you may do shift work to provide 24-hour care. Mental Health Nurse: Nurses who choose to specialise in mental health nursing work with GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, and others. Increasingly, care is given in the community. 60% GP referrals stress related Children’s Nurse: Children's nurses deal with a range of situations, including babies born with heart complications, teenagers who have sustained broken limbs, and child protection issues. Children's nursing takes place in hospitals, day care centres, child health clinics and in the child's home. This type of nursing has the most applications
Learning Disability Nurse: Learning disability nurses work in partnership with family carers, to provide specialist healthcare. Learning disabilities nursing is provided in settings such as adult education, residential and community centres, as well as in patients' homes, workplaces and schools. Learning disability nurses work as part of a team alongside GPs, psychologists, therapists, teachers and social workers. District Nurse: District nurses visit people of all ages, often in their own homes, GP surgeries or a residential home. Many patients are elderly, others may have disabilities, be recovering after a hospital stay, or have a terminal illness. Neonatal Nurse: Neonatal nurses work with newborn babies who are born sick or prematurely.
Work experience It is important to show evidence in your personal statement and at interview that you are a genuinely caring person and that you are used to interacting with other people in different situations: Supporting younger students in your school or college Voluntary work Working in a youth club Helping older people Charity work Working with the disabled If possible, some work experience in the NHS
NHS Careers website
Two very useful PDF booklet on NHS Careers website
Find out about health issues on the NHS Choices website
Keep up to date with health news on the BBC Health News website
Use the links on the BBC Health website
Useful Reading Progression to Nursing, Healthcare and Social Work UCAS Books The History of Medicine: A Very Short Introduction, by William Bynum. Oxford University Press Epidemiology: A Very Short Introduction by Rodolfo Saracci Medical Ethics: A Very Short Introduction by Tony Hope, Oxford University Press Subscribe to the Student British Medical Journal Careers in Nursing PDF booklet on NHS website Subscribe to the Nursing Times and use the website
Useful Websites Royal College of Nursing especially How to Become a Nurse of Midwife pages Nursing and Midwifery Council: http://www.nmc-uk.org/ NHS Careers website NHS choices to find out about health issues Day in the Life is an extremely useful website which gives invaluable advice on: http://www.dayinthelife.org.uk/: