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)

£27,055 Starter

to

£40,588 Experienced

Typical hours (a week)

37 to 42 a week

You could work

evenings / weekends / bank holidays on shifts

How to become

Explore the different ways to get into this role.

How to become a nurse

You can get into this job through a university course or an apprenticeship.

University

You can do a degree in adult nursing approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. You might be able to study another area of nursing alongside adult nursing. 

You might be able to get additional student financial support through the NHS Learning Support Fund.

You might 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.

Armed forces

You can also train to be a nurse in the armed forces. You can find more information at:

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

More Information

Apprenticeship

You might be able to do a degree apprenticeship in nursing if you work in a healthcare setting like a hospital.

The degree apprenticeship takes around 4 years and is a mix of academic study and on-the-job training. 

You'll need the support of your employer to do a degree 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

More Information

Volunteering

You'll find it helpful to get some experience before you apply for nurse training.

You could:

More Information

Registration

Further information

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

What it takes

Find out what skills you’ll use in this role.

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 use a computer and the main software packages competently

Restrictions and Requirements

You'll need to:

What you’ll do

Discover the day to day tasks you’ll do in this role.

What you'll do

Day-to-day tasks

In this role you could:

  • take temperatures, blood pressures and pulse rates
  • give drugs and injections, treat wounds and set up drips
  • monitor the progress of patients and update records
  • 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

Look at progression in this role and similar opportunities.

Career path and progression

With experience, you could:

  • become a nursing sister, ward manager, team leader, or move into a management role like matron or director of nursing
  • specialise in an area like intensive care, neonatal nursing or operating theatre work
  • train to become a midwife, health visitor, district nurse or practice nurse
  • become an advanced nurse practitioner, clinical nurse specialist or nurse consultant if you have a postgraduate qualification
  • move into teaching, research or become self-employed and work overseas

You can find out more about career progression from the Royal College of Nursing.

Current opportunities

Find apprenticeships, courses and jobs available near you.

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 HE - Nursing

  • Provider: HCUC (Harrow College & Uxbridge College)
  • Start date: 04 September 2023
  • Location: Harrow

Access to Higher Education Nursing

  • Provider: EALING, HAMMERSMITH & WEST LONDON COLLEGE
  • Start date: 19 September 2023
  • Location: London
Find courses near you

Jobs In the United Kingdom

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

Search further careers

Related careers

Skills assessment

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

Speak to an adviser

You can call 0800 100 900 or use webchat to speak to an adviser.

We're open:

  • 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday
  • 10am to 5pm Saturday and bank holidays

We're closed Sunday, Christmas Day and New Year's Day.

Is this page useful?

Yes No

Thank you for your feedback.

Thank you for your feedback. Click here if you'd like to let us know how we can improve the service.