Nurse
Healthcare

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How to become a nurse

You can get into this career through:

• a university course
• an apprenticeship

University

You can do a degree in adult nursing approved by the Nursing & Midwifery Council.

Some degree courses let you study another area of nursing alongside adult nursing.

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.

University (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 may be able to do a degree apprenticeship in nursing if you work in a healthcare setting like a hospital. The apprenticeship takes around 4 years and is a mix of academic study and on-the-job training. You must be supported by your employer to take this route.

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

Volunteering & Experience

You'll find it helpful to get some paid or voluntary experience in social care or healthcare work before you apply for nurse training.

More info

Registration

• you'll need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council

Further information

You'll find more advice about how to become a nurse from the Royal College of Nursing and Health Careers.

What it takes

Skills & Knowledge

You'll need:

• sensitivity and understanding
• the ability to work well with others
• a desire to help people
• knowledge of psychology
• to be thorough and pay attention to detail
• customer service skills
• the ability to accept criticism and work well under pressure
• patience and the ability to remain calm in stressful situations
• to be able to use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restriction & Requirements

You'll need to:

• pass enhanced background checks

What you'll do

Day to day

In this role you will:

• take temperatures, blood pressures and pulse rates
• help doctors with physical examinations
• give drugs and injections
• clean and dress wounds
• set up drips and blood transfusions
• use medical equipment
• monitor patients' progress
• update patient records and handover information to colleagues at the end of a shift
• work with doctors and other healthcare professionals to decide what care to give
• give advice to patients and their relatives

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.

Career path and progression

Career path & progression

With experience, you could specialise in a particular field such as intensive care or operating theatre work, or become a nursing sister, ward manager or team leader. You could train as a midwife, neonatal nurse, health visitor, or district or practice nurse. You could also move into management, as a matron or director of nursing. With a postgraduate qualification, you could become an advanced nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist, then a nurse consultant. There are opportunities to go into teaching and research. You could also become self-employed or work overseas. You can find out more about career progression from the Royal College of Nursing.