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HELP: adult nursing open uni: do you get paid?!

pcc1994

Hi, I'm hoping some of you may be able to help me...
I've been on the phone with the open university today about an Adult Nursing degree.
I currently work as a Health Care Assistant in a hospital and wondered whether with this degree I could still work and get paid for full time hours. I'm 22 now and have outgoings so I need to know if anyone else has done this while working full time - is it possible?
Thank you so much!

Reply 1

pcc1994

Oh, also....
I know student nurses usually do unpaid hours of work... If I'm a HCA and get my employers support will this mean I can just continue as a HCA while I study so I don't have to do the unpaid hours?

Reply 2

Charlotte's Web

Original post by pcc1994

You couldn't keep your current role and certainly couldn't keep your full time pay. The only way round this would be to form some sort of secondment agreement with your current employer, but even then you would be very unlikely to continue on your current wage.*

You would need to have your nursing placement hours as your first commitment. Bear in mind that your placements can cover a large geographical area so a lot of your time can be taken up travelling to these. Some mentors are flexible with shifts however you are officially supposed to copy their off duty.

It is possible to work on the bank as a HCA but depending how many hours a week you work with uni, you might find it a bit much. You also cannot work more than 48 hours per week as per EU working time directive and many universities work with the bank to ensure students can't take on too many shifts (e.g. if you do 35hrs/wk at placement, the bank would only give you one long day). You will also likely have assignments and exams to prepare for so will need to devote adequate time to that during your normal working week.

Reply 3

Marcaevans

Starting the programme this year, you will still get the bursary but you won't get paid for placements, no. You could possibly get on the bank with your local trust and do some shifts as a HCA there, as a band 2 to start with and possibly a band 3 as you progress further into your course.

Reply 4

InArduisFouette

as the OP talks aobut the Open university pre-reg course presumably the pay arrangements are a matter for the organisation which currently employs them and will be supporting them through the OU course ...