Nursing as a Career

Nursing is both highly rewarding and incredibly demanding due to the enormous responsibility of the role for the health and well-being of patients whether in a community, GP or hospital environment. There are a number of fields to specialise in, including mental health, children’s nursing and elderly care, and Nurses are also employed in care homes and teaching institutions.

The role of a Nurse

A Nurse’s role can vary depending upon which specialist field they are employed in. However, in general, a nurse employed within a hospital is responsible for monitoring the condition of patients, administering medication and dealing with patients both before and after surgery. Greater responsibilities come with experience and continuing professional development, and many senior Nurses are involved in the training and development of junior staff and students. Nurses can also be based in general practice and in community settings where their roles can entail dealing with general health care issues.

All Nurses are required to deal directly with patients and their relatives, to provide them with support and to effectively cope with their changing emotions in often traumatic circumstances. They may also be responsible for advising patients of the treatment and recovery processes they will be faced with.

Entry requirements

Nurses have to undertake a rigorous training programme before they can qualify and, although no formal qualifications are required for entry other than the standard GCSEs or O Grades, it is important that they possess the necessary personality traits to work in this challenging profession. Nurses are graded according to their skills, qualifications and experience with A Grade Nurses (Auxiliaries/Health Care Assistants) being generally unqualified and I Grade Nurses being heavily involved in management and strategic decision making.

Available qualifications

Nurses are required to undertake at least three years of study and practical experience before they can achieve qualification, after which they can choose to specialise in a particular field. The main nursing qualifications are Registered Nurse (RN) and Registered General Nurse (RGN) and there is also the option to study for a degree in Nursing Studies or Specialist Nursing Practice.

Skills requirements

Whatever area you specialise in, there are some common skills which all nurses should be able to demonstrate:

Physical fitness due to the need for lifting and moving of patients
A caring and compassionate nature
The ability to work as part of a multi-disciplinary team
Strong communication and interpersonal skills when dealing with patients, relatives and colleagues
The ability to respond appropriately to emergency situations and to remain calm under pressure

Future opportunities

This is a notoriously low paying industry sector but recent benefits introduced by the Government give nursing staff access to lower-cost housing and other financial incentives. Flexible working hours are common and you may even be given the opportunity to take a break from nursing before returning at a more suitable time. Opportunities are available both within the NHS and within the private sector, and progression to management level is possible with the completion of the required training.

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