Open university questions!

Hello, I'm considering applying to open university to do an honours degree in nursing, however I'm unsure about the situation where I have to be employed in healthcare? Can this be any healthcare? As I am going to an interview later to work in a care home and wonder if this will count? Also what do they mean by your employer having to support you in the course? Does the employer have to do anything as I think this would be important to mention in my interview!! Any insights on this course are welcome, thanks 🙂

Reply 1

millsr

The 'employer support' requirement basically helps to ensure that you'll be able to complete the practical requirements of a nursing degree as set out by the NMC (Nursing and Midwifery Council), including a broad enough range of practical healthcare experience. The NMC set out the educational requirements for nurses and you'll need accreditation from them to register as a nurse, which can be gained by completing an NMC-approved course. The Open University therefore need to be sure that the practical experience you gain with your employer is sufficient enough to satisfy NMC requirements, which will require your employer to allow you to learn and be assessed in a supervised environment at work as well as just completing the regular requirements of your job. I'm not sure if a care home job will count as it may not provide broad enough experience, but my advice would be to contact the Open University and discuss it with them before raising the issue at an interview.

Alternatively, if you're unable to find a suitable employer who will support you through the course, the Open University offers a slightly different route which does not require employment, as explained here:

"If you are resident in England and not currently working in a healthcare role, you can study the Adult specialism of this degree in partnership with Middlesex University or the University of the West of England. For this route, some evidence of providing care to others is desirable, though it's not essential. This informal care experience can include working in a voluntary capacity, for example, as an unpaid carer, which can demonstrate your understanding and appreciation of healthcare settings and the role of a nurse within them."

(That quote came from this link - https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/nursing-healthcare/degrees/bsc-nursing-r39#entry-requirements)

Reply 2

paub

a hospita;/community role would be better