Nursing
No two days are the same in nursing – it’s one of the most dynamic and rewarding roles within the NHS. And with ongoing training and the support of your team, you’ll be able to make it exactly what you want it to be.
A career in nursing is one of the most rewarding you can choose. You’ll be part of a passionate and multidisciplinary team, working together to change lives. Depending on the area of nursing you choose to specialise in, you could be helping patients with their mental health, assisting someone with learning disabilities, or caring for new-borns, the elderly and everyone in between.
The most common route into nursing is by completing a nursing degree. It’s a dynamic way of learning, combining academic study with hands-on, practical experience.
Already have a science or social science degree? You can do a postgraduate course in two years rather than three.
Once you’re working with us, you’ll enjoy continuous professional development, helping you to develop your skills, gain new ones, and progress to specialist roles with a higher pay grade.
Adult nursing
You will work with adults of all ages – they may suffer from one or more long or short-term physical health conditions, such as heart disease, injuries from an accident, pneumonia, arthritis, diabetes or cancer.
You'll learn how to observe patients and assess their needs. You’ll learn to plan and deliver the most appropriate care for them and evaluate the results. Building a trusting relationship with each patient is essential. Your aim is to improve your patients’ quality of life, whatever their situation. You’ll need to take lots of factors into account and juggle many priorities to get the best possible results for your patients.
You could work in a variety of settings including hospital wards, outpatient units, patients' home and clinics. You'll be part of the multidisciplinary teams with other professionals such as occupational therapists, pharmacists, radiographers and healthcare assistants. You'll also work closely with patients' families and carers.
Paediatric (children)
Child nursing involves everything from nursing a sick new-born to an adolescent road accident victim. You'll need to consider the care and support needed by the wider family, including parents and carers.
Mental Health
Your role is to promote and support a person’s recovery, helping them live independent and fulfilling lives.
Your role is to build effective relationships with people who use mental health services, and also with their relatives and carers. You might help one person to take their medication correctly while advising another about relevant therapies or social activities.
Learning disability
Children identified as having a learning disability are living longer, more fulfilled lives into adolescence, adulthood and older age.
Learning disability nurses play a vital role supporting people with a learning disability, and their families, to help them live a fulfilling life.
General practice nurse
Nurses are an important part of delivering care in general practice. You could be involved in most aspects of patient care including:
obtaining blood samples
electrocardiograms (ECGs)
minor and complex wound management including leg ulcers
travel health advice and vaccinations
child immunisations and advice
family planning and women’s health including cervical smears
men’s health screening
sexual health services
smoking cessation
screening and helping patients to manage long term conditions.
Nursing Associate
This is a new role within the nursing team. Nursing associates work with healthcare support workers and registered nurses to deliver care for patients and the public. It is also a stepping-stone to becoming a registered nurse.
Your duties are likely to include:
carrying out clinical tasks including venepuncture and ECGs
supporting individuals and their families and carers when faced with unwelcome news and life-changing diagnoses
performing and recording clinical observations such as blood pressure, temperature, respirations and pulse
discussing and sharing information with registered nurses on a patients’ condition, behaviour, activity and responses
making sure the privacy, dignity and safety of individuals is maintained at all times
recognising issues relating to safeguarding vulnerable children and adults.