Is university for me? If not what are the alternatives?

Hey guys!
I have a huge dilemma and I'm starting to get worried now as I am nearly approaching the end of my college year. I have no idea what I should do with my life. Im in my third year at college studying Heath and social care, I've applied to ucas to study child nursing only to find out it might not be for me. I'm not an academic person, I'm better at doing practical stuff rather than theory based work. But I have a passion to care for people and I adore children I would like to work with children in the future. This is one of the reasons why I chose to study child nursing. Although, nursing sounds interesting and rewarding I know personally I won't be able to hack knowing a child may die under my care. Which brings me back to square one, I also looked into childhood studies and early years education, i know these courses can lead to primary teaching which I don't mind doing and I kinda like the sound of that. But it is mostly theory based which worries me as I'm not the best when it comes to exams and coursework pressure. Then there's apprenticeships that my mum keeps telling me to apply. To be honest I don't think I want to do that, it doesn't attract me as something I want to do. I may be wrong I researched a lot of articles where people do well with apprenticeships than going in debt by university. I have applied to do some apprenticeship work such as dental nurse. But for me I don't feel like it something I want to do, I just don't know. The really question is what should I do? I always go of what people tell me to do and it's not always been the best for me. Now I just want this one thing to my decision but it's hard enough when I don't know what to do myself! So frustrating! HELP! p.s sorry about the detail paragraph just had to get it out there!

Ok, so you do want
- something that involves children
- something that involves caring

And you don't want
- the sort of healthcare environment where, inevitably, sooner or later, one of them will die on you
- anything too theory based

Have you considered more vocationally oriented degrees? For instance,
- Norland College does what amounts to a quite a practical nannying / early years training degree that all but guarantees a remarkably high paying job at the end of it http://www.norland.co.uk/
- A primary teaching degree - you don't have to do another degree first, you can go straight into primary teaching, which will involve both some theory and academic work, alongside time spent in schools on placement
- Another form of healthcare, such as speech and language therapy or physiotherapy, where the child / patient is much less likely to die on you

Student loans are nothing to be scared of though - despite the scary headline figures, you only pay back 9% of anything you earn over £21,000 per year (e.g. if you earned £25,000 you'd pay back £360 per year) and it won't impact on your credit rating or ability to get a mortgage or anything like that.

Now, if you truly can't bear the thought of writing another essay ever again, then uni may not be for you, and an apprenticeship might be better, but generally graduates earn more and have more career options within child-related sectors.

Thank you. This actually helps I like the sound of teaching but I have been looking at apprenticeships where I can become a teacher. But they only offer teaching assistant and I can't really move up in that because it leads me into university so waste time. So I'm deciding to go into uni I think. . Thanks again for the advice