Nurse
Nurses care for adults who are sick, injured or have physical disabilities. They work in hospitals, clinics, hospices and patients' homes.
Also known as: Adult nurse
- Starter salary£32,000 a year
- Experienced£48,000 a year
- Typical hours37 to 42 a week
What you'll do
As a nurse, you could:
- assess patient needs to see if they require immediate attention
- draw up treatment care plans
- check patients' temperature, blood pressure and pulse rate
- administer certain medicines, treat wounds and set up drips
- monitor patient progress and update medical records
- build trusting relationships with patients
- work closely with doctors and the wider healthcare team
- advise patients and their families on how to give ongoing care at home
Working environment
You could work in an NHS or private hospital, at a health centre, at a hospice, at an adult care home, at a client's home or in a prison.
Your working environment may be physically and emotionally demanding.
You may need to wear a uniform.
Skills and knowledge you'll need
You'll need:
- a desire to help people
- sensitivity and understanding
- the ability to work well with others
- to be thorough and pay attention to detail
- knowledge of patient psychology
- the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
- patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
- excellent verbal communication skills
- to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently
How to become a nurse
You can get into this job through:
- a university course
- an apprenticeship
- working towards this role
- a conversion course from another branch of nursing
University
You can do a degree in adult nursing approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council .
You might be able to get extra student financial support through the NHS Learning Support Fund .
You may be able to join the second year of a nursing degree if you already have a degree in:
- a health-related subject
- psychology
- life sciences
- social work
Full-time courses usually take 3 years.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), or equivalent, including English, maths and science
- 2 or 3 A levels, including a science, or a level 3 diploma or access to higher education in health, science or nursing
Apprenticeship
You could apply for a Registered Nurse Level 6 Degree Apprenticeship if you work in a healthcare setting, like a hospital.
This takes around 4 years and is a mix of academic study and on-the-job training.
You'll need the support of your employer to do a degree apprenticeship.
Entry requirements
You'll usually need:
- 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a degree apprenticeship
Work
You could work as an assistant practitioner or nursing associate and study for a shortened nursing degree to qualify as a registered adult nurse.
Volunteering
You'll find it helpful to get some relevant experience before you apply for nurse training.
You could:
- get work experience in social care
- search for opportunities with NHS Volunteering
- find openings through The National Council for Voluntary Organisations and Do IT
Other routes
If you're already a registered nurse, for example in mental health nursing, you may be able to complete a conversion course to become an adult nurse. Courses normally take between 1 and 2 years.
Restrictions and requirements
You'll need to:
- pass enhanced background checks
Career path and progression
With experience, you could:
- become a clinical team leader, ward manager, or move into a management role like matron or director of nursing
- specialise in an area like intensive care, infection control or operating theatre work
- train to become a midwife , health visitor , district nurse or practice nurse
- become an advanced nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or nurse consultant, if you have a postgraduate qualification
- move into teaching and research
Career tips
You would be expected to have an understanding of how the NHS values would apply in your work.
Registration
- you'll need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council
Guides for this industry
Related roles
- Job roleChildren's nurse
- Job roleMental health nurse
- Job roleHealthcare assistant
- Job roleNursing associate
- Job roleMidwife
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0