Confused about Nursing

I've decided after alot of thought that I'm going to apply to do a nursing degree. I didn't go to uni straight from college, as I was hoping tojoin the RAF, although that went out the window, so I've decided upon Nursing as my new choice in career.

I got 10 GCSEs, six As and four Bs, two AS levels, a C and a D, and four A levels, Biology-D, Psychology-B, Maths-E and General studies-B.

I went onto the UCAS website to have a look at courses which has confused the hell out of me! If I wanted to become a registered nurse, doI just do the degree and you become a registered nurse upon graduating, or do you graduate, then apply to hospitals and such...?

Also, there's so many different courses- Adult, Adult health, Adult nursing studies, nursing with registration (adult), Nursing: Adult branch registration, communtity nursing, just plain nursing on it's own, Nursing (RN) adult....

I think I'm going to go for adult nursing, although might consider children's as another option.

I'm just so confused! :confused:

If I get three years experience after I become a RGN I can reapply to the RAF as a nursing officer, which I am thinking of going for, so I don't want to be tied into any contracts,etc.

Also, any info on bursaries and such would be of great help.

Thanks to anyone who can be bothered reading this and especially to anyone that can give a reply.

Thanks again. :smile:

Reply 1

matt4504

2

Ok lets begin.

There are two types of nursing course -

The Diploma - Takes 3 years, you get a non-means tested bursary of about 5k a year. You can top it up to a degree when you finish and you're working.

The Degree - Takes 3 years too, you get a means tested bursary and a student loan. When you graduate theres no topping up. Apparently the BSc or BNurs is better for promotion.

They both enable you to being as a Band 5 nurse (the nurse you are when you leave uni).

As soon as you graduate from University and recieve your NMC (nursing and midwifery council) pin number, you're a registered nurse. This must be purchased for £43 every year. When you've graduated you apply to hospitals/clincs etc for jobs.

When you're looking on UCAS or NMAS (for the diploma) as long as its a three year nursing course, its going to be a pre-reg course ie the one you want. Any of the 1 year courses are top ups/specialist ones. Nursing courses have loads of different names but you end up with the same thing.

Childrens is really hard to get into so a lot of nurses become a RGN first and then do a 18 month conversion course.

Anymore questions?

Matt

Reply 2

Silly Wench

OP

1

So basically, it doesn't matter which of the courses I apply for, you end up as a RGN when you graduate? Is that right?

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P.S. Thanks alot for that :biggrin:

Reply 3

matt4504

2

Silly Wench

So basically, it doesn't matter which of the courses I apply for, you end up as a RGN when you graduate? Is that right?

--------------

P.S. Thanks alot for that :biggrin:

Yep. Prob better if you go for the diploma, money wise :smile:

Reply 4

Anon

7

I'm not 100% sure but don't you need the degree to go for the Nursing Officer training? I mean the diploma is better off because you get a lot more money... but if you study the degree in Cardiff, Edinburgh or Glasgow (this might be all Unis in Scotland and Wales but I haven't checked them all so I won't say that for def) they offer you the same money (over £5,000) as the diploma but you get a full degree..

Also, what went wrong with your RAF application? I'm thinking of looking into it (also after my degree) but was just wondering if you went to interview stage or anything and what it was like :smile:

Reply 5

Silly Wench

OP

1

Anon

I'm not 100% sure but don't you need the degree to go for the Nursing Officer training? I mean the diploma is better off because you get a lot more money... but if you study the degree in Cardiff, Edinburgh or Glasgow (this might be all Unis in Scotland and Wales but I haven't checked them all so I won't say that for def) they offer you the same money (over £5,000) as the diploma but you get a full degree..

Also, what went wrong with your RAF application? I'm thinking of looking into it (also after my degree) but was just wondering if you went to interview stage or anything and what it was like :smile:

Failed RAF interview due to lack of confidence and assertiveness. Was allowed to reapply in April only to be told that applications for my branch have been closed for a couple of years. You don't need a degree to be a nursing officer, but you need to be a registered general nurse with 3 years experience.

I'm going to go for the degree course, you get a degree at the end of it and also, if the RAF didn't work out I can look into Army/Navy officer instead, and going into there as an officer it's alot better for you if you have a degree.

It doesn't bother me about the degree costing more, there are a couple of unis fairly local to me, so I can apply to one of them and still live at home whilst doing it, and if I'm still working part time I've money coming in to pay for my expenses.

Is it true you can progress further in your career if you have a degree rather than just doing the diploma? Something I heard.

So, just to check before I apply, It doesn't matter what the course is, as long as it's got nursing in it, eg nursing (adult), nursing with registration, nursing (RN), etc...I don't want to spend three years doing something to come out of it with no job, I'm currently doing a training scheme at work to become a manager, and I'm going to be giving that up to do this degree. Just need reassurance.

Cheers. :smile:

Reply 6

qwerty_st/n

11

it is true that the degree enables you to progress probably quicker than the diploma...thats not to say that you cant progress with a diploma...i think it's just that you can do it quicker with the degree, as with the diploma you will eventually have to top it up to a degree anyway which takes more time than just getting a degree in the first place...

also if your not 100% sure on the course from it's title then look at the course spec and it should be clear from that if you've got the right course...i assume that most uni's offer it as 'Adult Nursing' and one thing to look for is whether it says that the first year/level one is the common foundation year thats a dead giveaway cos it's universal to all nursing degree's and diploma's

Reply 7

matt4504

2

I don't personally think the CFP is actually 'common' because at Kings College, you don't do any other placements in other branches apart from Learning Disablitiy and you still have lessons to do with your branch in the CFP (like the kids nurses did some seperate lessons etc)
Matt

Reply 8

Anon

7

Silly Wench

Failed RAF interview due to lack of confidence and assertiveness. Was allowed to reapply in April only to be told that applications for my branch have been closed for a couple of years. You don't need a degree to be a nursing officer, but you need to be a registered general nurse with 3 years experience.

Thanks for the info :smile:

i've only started to think about it recently.. but I don't know anything about the RAF n stuff.. so I'm hoping to join one of their University groups when I'm there because I'm too old for cadets now etc.. you can apply through the RAF to actually study Nursing too, have you looked at that? It's somewhere in London I think.. I'd already applied before I saw that so I didn't bother..

Reply 9

qwerty_st/n

11

matt4504

I don't personally think the CFP is actually 'common' because at Kings College, you don't do any other placements in other branches apart from Learning Disablitiy and you still have lessons to do with your branch in the CFP (like the kids nurses did some seperate lessons etc)
Matt

yeah at salford we only have branch related placements even during the common foundation year...it's just the theoretical side where we did everything the same as the other branches

Confused about Nursing

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