1. Home: Explore careers
  2. Nurse

Nurse

Alternative titles for this job include Adult nurse

Nurses care for adults who are sick, injured or have physical disabilities.

Average salary (a year)

£24,214 Starter

to

£37,267 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

37 to 42 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

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.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C), including English, maths and a science
  • 2 or 3 A levels, including a science, or a level 3 diploma or access to higher education in health, science or nursing

More information

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.

Entry requirements

You'll usually need:

  • 4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and college qualifications like A levels for a degree apprenticeship

More information

Volunteering and 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 information

Registration

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 and 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 carry out basic tasks on a computer or hand-held device

Restrictions and requirements

You'll need to:

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In this role you could be:

  • taking temperatures, blood pressures and pulse rates
  • helping doctors with physical examinations
  • giving drugs and injections
  • cleaning and dressing wounds
  • setting up drips and blood transfusions
  • using medical equipment
  • checking patients' progress
  • working with doctors to decide what care to give
  • advising 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

With experience, you could 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 move into management, as a matron or director of nursing.

With a master's, you could become an advanced nurse practitioner or clinical nurse specialist then a nurse consultant.

You could also become self-employed or work overseas.

Current opportunities

Apprenticeships In England

We can't find any apprenticeship vacancies in England for a nurse right now.

The Find an apprenticeship service can help you with your search, send alerts when new apprenticeships become available and has advice on how to apply.

Courses In England

Access to Nursing Midwifery & Allied Professions Level 3

  • Provider: OLDHAM COLLEGE
  • Start date: 02 September 2019
  • Location: OLDHAM

Access to Nursing

  • Provider: WEST THAMES COLLEGE
  • Start date: 09 September 2019
  • Location: Middx
Find courses near you

JobsIn the United Kingdom

The Find a job service can help you with your search for jobs and send alerts when new jobs become available.

Related careers

Exam results helpline

Received your exam results? Speak to a careers adviser for advice on the options available to you.

Call 0800 100 900 from 8am to 10pm, 7 days a week.

Calls are free from landlines and most mobile numbers.

Follow us on Twitter for more support.

Skills assessment

Take an assessment to learn more about your skills and the careers that might suit you.

Get help using this service

Call 0800 100 900 or use webchat

8am to 10pm, 7 days a week

More ways to contact us

Is this page useful?

Yes No