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Is nursing a good degree?

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Do you regret studying nursing?

So i'm considering applying to do nursing when the time comes and I was wondering if anyone who is currently doing or has done a nursing degree would be willing to share their experiences?

Update: I realise that its essential if you want to become a nurse - really thats what I was asking; is nursing a good career choice?
(edited 8 years ago)

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Reply 1
Original post by caitlin121
So i'm considering applying to do nursing when the time comes and I was wondering if anyone who is currently doing or has done a nursing degree would be willing to share their experiences?


I started a degree in nursing but realised it was not for me, but It is a good degree which leads to employment. You do need to love nursing though, and I would highly recommend getting some experience before you start the degree, either as a work placement or a job as a carer.

It is 50% at university in lectures and tutorials and 50% at clinical placements (hospitals etc). The clinical placements are full time, where you will be expected to do observations (taking temp, blood pressure, pule rate, breathing rate ), personal care, changing beds etc while you are taught more advanced nursing duty's.

Lectures included human biology, maths (drug doses etc), equality and diversity, and practical classes using dummies to practice CPR, practice giving injections etc.
If you want to be a nurse it's a great degree as you can't register as one without studying nursing.


If you want to be a firefighter, it's probably not the best course to study.
Original post by caitlin121
So i'm considering applying to do nursing when the time comes and I was wondering if anyone who is currently doing or has done a nursing degree would be willing to share their experiences?


Get yourself some work experience, it should help you decide and you need some to apply for nursing really. I wouldn't apply for it if you had any doubts at all (i don't start my nursing degree for two weeks but the timetable is going to be very full on and i wouldnt have decided to do it if i wasn't really passionate about becoming a nurse)
Of course it's a good degree! There wouldn't be any new nurses without it!
Surely the better question is: do you want to be a nurse?
I aspire to be a nurse in he future so definitely think is a good degree but in terms of pay, not so much
Original post by 08Mercyf
I aspire to be a nurse in he future so definitely think is a good degree but in terms of pay, not so much

At least you are almost certainly going to get a job if you graduate, you will earn more than most media studies or forensics grads.
Reply 8
Original post by xlizx
I started a degree in nursing but realised it was not for me, but It is a good degree which leads to employment. You do need to love nursing though, and I would highly recommend getting some experience before you start the degree, either as a work placement or a job as a carer.

It is 50% at university in lectures and tutorials and 50% at clinical placements (hospitals etc). The clinical placements are full time, where you will be expected to do observations (taking temp, blood pressure, pule rate, breathing rate ), personal care, changing beds etc while you are taught more advanced nursing duty's.

Lectures included human biology, maths (drug doses etc), equality and diversity, and practical classes using dummies to practice CPR, practice giving injections etc.


What about it wasn't for you?
Original post by moonkatt
If you want to be a nurse it's a great degree as you can't register as one without studying nursing.


If you want to be a firefighter, it's probably not the best course to study.


So you dont need a degree in nursing to become one? What do you need then??
Original post by caitlin121
What about it wasn't for you?


It's still a useful degree if you are still interested in healthcare but just don't want to be a nurse. For example there's nursing research posts, or any other areas of medical research really. You could work for an ambulance service also on the 999 calls. Any degree with scientific content is really useful, I kind of wish I had done one myself.
Original post by HenryKenry
So you dont need a degree in nursing to become one? What do you need then??


For new nurses you do need a degree or if you are a graduate in a different field you can do a Postgraduate Diploma in nursing (but to get onto this course you still need ANY degree). Technically it's not the degree that allows you to be a nurse, it's when you get your NMC pin - but you can only get this via a nursing BSc or a nursing PgDip. They don't provide diplomas anymore.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by HenryKenry
So you dont need a degree in nursing to become one? What do you need then??


I'm not sure if you've misread what I've put, I said: "If you want to be a nurse it's a great degree as you can't register as one without studying nursing. "

To join the register as a nurse you must have studied and passed a degree level course which is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a pre registration course.

There are however registered nurses who do not have a degree level qualification, as it wasn't required at the time they registered. I'm one of them.
Original post by infairverona
For new nurses you do need a degree or if you are a graduate in a different field you can do a Postgraduate Diploma in nursing (but to get onto this course you still need ANY degree). Technically it's not the degree that allows you to be a nurse, it's when you get your NMC pin - but you can only get this via a nursing BSc or a nursing PgDip. They don't allow diplomas anymore.


If I do an Audiology degree, and realise its a mistake can I at the end go into nursing?
Original post by moonkatt
I'm not sure if you've misread what I've put, I said: "If you want to be a nurse it's a great degree as you can't register as one without studying nursing. "

To join the register as a nurse you must have studied and passed a degree level course which is approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a pre registration course.

There are however registered nurses who do not have a degree level qualification, as it wasn't required at the time they registered. I'm one of them.


What is being a nurse like? What are the most squeamish things you have to do?
Original post by HenryKenry
If I do an Audiology degree, and realise its a mistake can I at the end go into nursing?


Yep you can do a postgraduate diploma in nursing, it's a two year course a lot of unis offer it. I believe it's free on the NHS as well
Original post by earthworm
At least you are almost certainly going to get a job if you graduate, you will earn more than most media studies or forensics grads.


I guess so.
Original post by HenryKenry
What is being a nurse like? What are the most squeamish things you have to do?


Everyone finds different things make their stomach turn. Some people find sputum horrible, others struggle with vomit. I used to have a bit of a thing with amputations, but I got over it all. In the end you've got to put yourself in the patient's shoes and think about how they must be feeling.

As for what it's like, I love my job. I'm an intensive care nurse, we see a lot of horrific and upsetting things, but we also make some of the sickest people in the hospital better and that is immensely rewarding.
Reply 18
Original post by caitlin121
What about it wasn't for you?


It is a career that you have to be passionate about, and I wasn't. It is hard work and if you don't love it, the long shifts and tough environment are not worth it. I barely had any experience before I went on my first placement which made it very difficult as I was expected to basically start working as a nurse/carer as soon as I arrived.

That is why I would strongly advise getting a decent amount of work experience before you start. I made sure I did that before starting my current degree to make sure it was the right choice.
Reply 19
If I could butt in on this thread please. I am starting an Access to HE Health diploma in September, with a view to getting into uni on a child nursing degree in 2016. I need work experience to be accepted at uni, so what is considered a good work experience placement e.g hospital ward, local gp's or other ideas please xx

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