How do you become a nurse?

So... You've decided you're interested in becoming a nurse and want to know more about the career, how and where to apply, the different options available to you.

The first place I direct you to is NHS Careers - Nursing, this site will give you more information about nursing as a career, the different kinds of nursing you can do and the training/experience necessary.

There are four branches of nursing; Adults, Children, Mental Health and Learning Disability Nursing. I think all of them require different personal characteristics and strengths so it is important to consider where you think would suit you best. The NHS Careers website can give you more information about the branches.

There are different routes of entry, under-graduate or post-graduate, and depending on the qualifications you already have you can join a degree or diploma programme. Post-graduate study, if you first degree was in a health related subject, will be shorter but at diploma level. Training is typically three years long, and will be 50% theory based and 50% supervised placement based, for post-graduate (modified) study it will take two years.

The first year of training is a Common Foundation Year (6 months for the post-graduate modified programme), after that you will spend two years (18 months for the modified programme) training in branch. Some universities require you to apply to these separately, others require you to choose your branch of study outright. Whichever you do you should get some experience in other branches in the first year and the opportunity to change branch when you go into your second year if you realise you've made a mistake!

To join a degree programme you are required to apply through UCAS and for a Diploma programme through NMAS. Typically for a degree you will be required to have A-Levels, and for a Diploma 5 GCSEs with grades C and above, each university sets its own criteria so it is best to check with the universities you are interested in first.

The differences between a degree and diploma?

• Either way you will become a registered nurse in your chosen branch
  
• Your tuition fees will be paid on both programmes
  
• The bursary you receive is different. On a Diploma programme you receive between £5,500-6,500 per year, on the Degree programme it is means-tested and the upper amount is about half of that of the Diploma.
  
• Once qualified the degree nurse will not be paid more than the diploma nurse.
  
• Both require three years of training.
  
• A degree is considered desirable but not essential when applying for a job, whilst they will choose the best person for the job if you have a degree it may set you above other other candidates of a similar standard.
  
• The training itself is very similar, on the degree programme I believe there is more of an emphasis on management and research but don't quote me on that! Some of the degree assessments will be at a higher standard than the diploma.
  

This information was accurate when I was applying, and from talking to other students and univserity staff little has changed. However it is best to research it yourself on the NHS Careers website and NMAS/UCAS sites.

Links on the right side of my blog to the Nursing and Midwifery Council, Royal College of Nursing, and Nursing Standard which may provide you with more information and current nursing issues.