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The Ultimate Work Experience Thread (With ideas)

As the new academic year approaches, there are lots of questions around about work experience. This thread aims to cover all things work experience.

Experience is vital to be considered for nursing. It can be difficult to get care based experience if you are under 18, but universities understand this. However, local NHS Trusts all have different policies, so do still inquire with them. The universities are looking for transferable skills, and not just direct care skills too. For example, a job in a shop gives you team working and problem solving skills, as well as familiarity with working with the public.

Also ensure you obtain a written & signed reference from a manager afterwards. References are good to have, and you could present one to interviewers at a university selection day.

Finally, write well about these in your Personal Statement - you need to really 'sell' it. Say what you learnt, and why it's relevant to nursing, more than just what you did.

Here is a list of experience ideas for each field of nursing. This list is not all-inclusive, but rather to give you some suggestions. Others are of course more than welcome to add to what I have done here.

General ideas/Adult Nursing
- Volunteering/work experience at your local hospital
- Shadowing a nurse or other healthcare professional
- Paid work at your local hospital (See NHS Jobs)
- Paid work/volunteering at a local nursing home, hospice or GP practice
- St John Ambulance, Red Cross
- Any other form of paid employment
- Volunteer at a homeless shelter
- Special Constable (Volunteer Police Offices - must meet certain requirements though)
- Attend nursing workshops/summer schools run by different universities

Children's Nursing
- Volunteer at local primary schools/nurseries
- Volunteer with local children's charities e.g. Barnados or The Children's Trust
- Volunteer at SureStart Children's Centres
- Volunteer with YoungMinds (A Children's Mental Health charity)
- Volunteer with a fostering agency

Mental Health Nursing
- Volunteer with mental health charities such as Mind, Time to Change or SANE (They offer helplines and things like that, for which volunteers are needed)
- Be a mental health support worker
- Shadow a mental health community nurse
- Volunteer in local mental health services
- Become a Dementia Friend
- Volunteer in supported living

Learning Disability
- Volunteer with learning disability charities such as Mencap
- Paid work/volunteering in learning disability schools or care facilities
- Shadow a learning disability nurse

I really hope this is useful to people!!! Sorry it's so long, though!
Joel
(edited 8 years ago)
@deviant182 My ideas for Learning Disability nursing are very limited... Can you help?? :smile:
@claireestelle My ideas for mental health nursing could be better... Any suggestions?? :smile:
Original post by PaediatricStN
@claireestelle My ideas for mental health nursing could be better... Any suggestions?? :smile:


The only additional suggestions that come to mind would be getting involved with dementia friends and also volunteering in any care homes or supported living placements if you're unable to obtained paid work as a mental health support worker. Another possibly would be special educational schools as pupils can have both physical and mental health needs in some cases.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by claireestelle
The only additional suggestions that come to mind would be getting involved with dementia friends and also volunteering in any care homes or supported living placements if you're unable to obtained paid work as a mental health support worker.


Ooh how could I forget Dementia friends!?? Will add it, thank you :smile:
Just wondering if anyone could help me? What kind of things to do you help out with in Oxfam charity shop?


Posted from TSR Mobile
@PaediatricStN On your personal statement did you write about all the experience you had or just a few of the more relevant ones? I really don't know whether to write more about my other childcare experiences and my job.

Thanks! :smile:
@Echo_Thorne have a look at the following link, as this gives you some good information about volunteering in an Oxfam shop:
https://mmupulp.wordpress.com/2011/11/22/volunteer-at-oxfam/
Original post by futurechildnurse
@PaediatricStN On your personal statement did you write about all the experience you had or just a few of the more relevant ones? I really don't know whether to write more about my other childcare experiences and my job.

Thanks! :smile:


I seem to remember mentioning most things I did, but I think it's best to choose c few which are the most relevant and write about them in detail!

I recommend the following format:

1 sentence: say what you did
2 sentences: say what you learnt
1-2 sentences: say how it's relevant to nursing

:smile:
@PaediatricStN Thank you! So far I only have my childcare placements and my observation of health professionals

Hoping to get some youth work very soon too,as then I have covered almost every age possible.

Thank you! :smile:
Have spent the last 2.5 years as a HCA in my local hospital, so hoping that will be a big advantage!
Original post by PaediatricStN
@deviant182 My ideas for Learning Disability nursing are very limited... Can you help?? :smile:


Hey!

For learning disability, as we cover from cradle to grave so to speak, it's important to get a wide range of experience where possible.

Look at schools, not just learning disability as mainstream will also have children with special education needs
Day centres
Summer schemes for those with disabilities - this will involve accompanying those on day trips or weekends away where many places will appreciate the extra pair of hands
Hospitals - again, especially on children wards, you can come into contact with people with an acquired learning disability (through head injury etc) and children's wards you can meet those with autism, down's syndrome etc.
Support worker roles - supported living etc where you can work with adults and children with learning disabilities.
Hospices
Prisons (may be hard to get but worth doing!)
As mentioned previously, Mencap will be a great source of advice and help.
Local schemes ie bingo nights, any monthly events that put on club nights etc for those with learning disabilities.
Dementia Friends is also worthwhile as people with learning disabilities are living longer; and dementia is somewhat prevalent in those individuals with Down's Syndrome.
Working with St John / Red Cross will also help with your clinical skills and communication skills, which are so so important in the LD field.

When you look in your community you may be very surprised at how many events and places cater for those with learning disabilities. And they're always great fun!
The more experience the better for working with those with learning disabilities as you come to learn about the wide variety of syndromes that exist within LD and how each syndrome affects individuals differently.
It also helps as textbooks can only teach you much, it's about getting to know the person and their likes, dislikes etc!

Hope that helps!


Posted from TSR Mobile
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by deviant182
Hey!

For learning disability, as we cover from cradle to grave so to speak, it's important to get a wide range of experience where possible.

Look at schools, not just learning disability as mainstream will also have children with special education needs
Day centres
Summer schemes for those with disabilities - this will involve accompanying those on day trips or weekends away where many places will appreciate the extra pair of hands
Hospitals - again, especially on children wards, you can come into contact with people with an acquired learning disability (through head injury etc) and children's wards you can meet those with autism, down's syndrome etc.
Support worker roles - supported living etc where you can work with adults and children with learning disabilities.
Hospices
Prisons (may be hard to get but worth doing!)
As mentioned previously, Mencap will be a great source of advice and help.
Local schemes ie bingo nights, any monthly events that put on club nights etc for those with learning disabilities.
Dementia Friends is also worthwhile as people with learning disabilities are living longer; and dementia is somewhat prevalent in those individuals with Down's Syndrome.
Working with St John / Red Cross will also help with your clinical skills and communication skills, which are so so important in the LD field.

When you look in your community you may be very surprised at how many events and places cater for those with learning disabilities. And they're always great fun!
The more experience the better for working with those with learning disabilities as you come to learn about the wide variety of syndromes that exist within LD and how each syndrome affects individuals differently.
It also helps as textbooks can only teach you much, it's about getting to know the person and their likes, dislikes etc!

Hope that helps!


Posted from TSR Mobile


Amazing, thanks!

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