School of Nursing - Qualifying as a nurse - Faculty of Health and Social Care Sciences, Kingston University London and St George's, University of London

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Qualifying as a nurse

This is an exciting time to join the nursing profession, as the number and variety of roles available to nurses is now greater than ever.

Some nurses begin their career by working their way up from support roles, which require no set qualifications, and then go on to study nursing. Others apply straight to university to do a nursing qualification. Whichever route you take, you'll need a degree or diploma in nursing.

Diploma and degree qualifications

To qualify as a nurse, you currently need either a diploma or a degree in nursing which leads to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC). The course is 50% theory and 50% practice, with your time split between the university and practical placements in a variety of local healthcare settings, where you'll begin to work under the supervision of qualified health professionals. The first year is a Common Foundation Programme, which will introduce you to the basic principles of nursing. You will then specialise in either adult, children's, learning disability or mental health nursing.

During your nursing studies, the NHS will usually support you. Eligible students who are accepted onto approved courses will usually have their tuition fees paid in full and may receive financial support in the form of a bursary.

Note: From September 2013, new entrants to the nursing profession will have to study a degree. Diploma courses will be phased out between September 2011 and early 2013.

Here at Kingston, the last intake of the Diploma in Higher Education for Nursing will be in February 2011 for the three year Adult Nursing Diploma and the two year accelerated Adult Nursing Diploma for graduates. Learning disability nursing, mental health nursing and children's nursing will now no longer be offered at diploma level.

From September 2011 all nursing branches (adult, learning disability, mental health and children's nursing) will be offered at BSc degree level (3 years) for undergraduate students and at postgraduate diploma level (2 years) for graduates undertaking an accelerated programme.

Specialisms

Adult nursing

Adult nurses work with people over the age of 18 with a range of chronic and acute health conditions. Many patients are older people who need support to live independently with long-term conditions such as heart disease, diabetes or the effects of stroke.
Adult nursing is a great choice for people keen to pursue a career with a wide range of opportunities including specialisation, research, management and travel. For example, adult nurses can apply for staff nurse rotation posts and gain experience in areas such as accident and emergency, oncology and cardiac care, and undertake further study to develop specialist skills.
In the community, nurses are leading the way in developing specialist services to support the shift from hospital to community-based care.
There are also opportunities in the independent nursing sector, voluntary sector, industry, sport and leisure services and in healthcare services around the world.

Children's nursing

Children's nurses deal with a range of situations, such as babies born with health complications, teenagers who have broken limbs, or palliative care in hospices for children with life limiting and terminal illness.
It's important to understand how health problems can affect a child's development and to know how to minimise the impact of illness and stress of being ill or in hospital on the child. This involves working in close partnership with the parents or other carers.
Children's nursing takes place in hospitals, day care centres, child health clinics and in the home.

Learning disability nursing

People with learning disabilities often have a range of physical and mental health conditions. Learning disability nurses work in partnership with them and their carers to help them pursue a fulfilling life.
This might include helping to improve or maintain physical and mental health, and reducing barriers to social inclusion. For example, teaching someone the skills to find work can help them enjoy a more independent life and feel able to relate to others on equal terms.
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 other health and social care workers including GPs, psychologists, teachers and social workers.
You may work with children or adults and could specialise in areas such as special educational needs, sensory disability or challenging behaviour services.

Mental health nursing

Mental health nurses work alongside GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and others to help care for patients with mental illnesses.
As many as one in three people has a mental health problem at some point in their life, ranging from depression or personality and psychological disorders to neuroses and psychoses.
Most mentally ill people are not cared for in hospital but in the community, with mental health nurses visiting patients and their families at home, in residential centres, in prisons or in specialist clinics or units.
There are opportunities to specialise in areas such as addiction, child and adolescent services, eating disorders, Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), rehabilitation and forensic mental health.