Why choose a nursing degree
As with all medical qualifications studying Nursing is a highly challenging task requiring a huge amount of dedication from students on the course. However, if you’re prepared for the amount of work involved and have a passion for caring for people then being a nurse is a rewarding and fulfilling career.
To be a successful nursing student you’ll need to be passionate, committed, hardworking, and have the stamina to cope with long hours and potentially difficult patients. Your day to day job will be physically, intellectually, and ethically challenging and you’ll develop complex social and practical skills during your training.
Whilst the job may be challenging the rewards are even better and job satisfaction is one of the main reasons that registered nurses site for having decided to go into their profession. As a nurse you’ll be making a positive impact on people’s lives on a day to day basis and could make all the difference to someone’s experience during their time in hospital.
How long does it take to qualify?
To become a nurse you must hold a degree in pre-registration nursing which usually takes three years of full time study to complete. There are four branches of nursing that you can study at degree level:
- Adult
- Mental health
- Children’s nursing
- Learning disabilities
However, some universities offer longer courses that allow you to study two of the four branches of nursing together, such as adult and mental health nursing or children’s nursing and learning disabilities. These courses usually require four years of full time study to complete.
Pre-registration nursing degrees are an academic and professional qualification that allows you to progress on to the next stage of your career. 50% of your time will be spent on the theory of nursing and 50% of your time will be spent completing supervised nursing in hospital and community environments.
Once you have completed your degree you can be registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) and you will then be allowed to practice. You can then look for a nursing post and get further qualifications and experience.
