If you’re searching for a nursing role with Seven Nursing, there you likely have lots of questions you about nursing roles, qualifications, job hunting and the opportunities available to you. To help you find the answers, we’ve compiled a few of the most commonly asked questions our recruitment specialists hear every day. You’ll find all of our answers below.
Can’t find an answer to your specific nursing question? Don’t worry, our recruitment experts are happy to help. Whether you’re looking for specific information about a particular role or want to learn more about how we handle compliance checks, please don’t hesitate to get in touch **LINK TO CONTACT US NURSING** with our experienced consultants.
Q: What career paths can I pursue as a qualified nurse?
A: Nurses represent the largest staff group in the NHS, and occupy dozens of roles in private healthcare settings too. While many people see “nurse” as an overarching job title, within this umbrella term there are hundreds of thousands of professionals working in radically different areas, striving to support an incredibly diverse range of people. To give you some idea of the avenues you may want to pursue in nursing, we’ve compiled a quick list of possible career paths:
- Ambulatory care nurse
- Burn care nurse
- Cardiac care nurse
- Domestic violence nurse
- Emergency nurse
- Forensic nurse
- Geriatric nurse
- Hospice nurse
- Infection control nurse
- Lactation consultant
- Medical-surgery nurse
- Nurse anaesthetist
There list is virtually endless. If you want to launch your career trajectory towards a particular speciality, postgraduate degrees, training and courses will help you to specialise. In some cases this further learning will need to be self funded, but in other instances your employer may be able to offer support or on-the-job training with a salary.
Q: Do I have to go to university to become a nurse?
A: Yes, recent changes to the profession mean that all UK nurses much now have a nursing degree. Universities across the country offer nursing studies qualifications, some of which may have more niche titles to reflect their speciality subject; for example, some universities offer specific mental health nursing degrees and degrees in paediatric nursing.
The degree you choose will depend on your career goals, your GCSE and A level results and your preferred geographical area. While some prestigious universities and courses ask for AAB at A level with a science subject, less competitive courses ask for 5 GCSEs and 2 A levels.
Q: Am I too old to start training for a career in nursing?
A: No, there is no age limit on nursing degrees. If you have any age-related health and fitness concerns which could affect your ability to study and work, consider undertaking volunteer work in a hospital to test yourself or contact an admissions officer at your chosen place of study to discuss your suitability.
Q: How do I become a nurse practitioner?
A: There are a few routes you could take to become a nurse practitioner. In the majority of cases registered nurses with a number of years experience and a relevant bachelors degree enrol on a postgraduate programme which usually lasts for two years. With entry requirements becoming tougher, most aspiring nurse practitioners will now need a masters qualification (or equivalent) to practice.
Q: Can I use my nursing experience to train others?
A: Absolutely. There are lots of avenues open to experienced nurses which lead to roles which will allow you to pass on your experience to a younger generation of nursing professionals; from preceptors who offer guidance to newly qualified nurses and mentors who monitor and train student nurses, to practice educators who provide hands on training and lecturers who offer theoretical teaching in the classroom.
Do you have more questions about working in nursing? Our nursing recruitment specialists can help.
