The Student Room Group

Getting onto a Nursing degree course without work experience?

Is Work Experience within the Nursing/Health Care area an absolute must if one wants to apply to do a Nursing degree? Is there much chance without any prior work experience or is it pretty much mandatory? How many hours of work experience would be required and of what sort to make your application competitive?

Thanks
burninginme
Is Work Experience within the Nursing/Health Care area an absolute must if one wants to apply to do a Nursing degree? Is there much chance without any prior work experience or is it pretty much mandatory? How many hours of work experience would be required and of what sort to make your application competitive?

Thanks

Some university's won't look at your application if you don't have work experience but it completely depends where you apply. In all honesty I think it's incredibly important to get experience, nothing can prepare you for the sights and smells and when you're working with people you really don't have time to let yourself freak out. Some universities will even take people with poorer grades but experience over people with amazing grades. I personally know that all Scottish uni's look favourably on experience, but it really does depend. Hope this helps, good luck
I agree, it's important for you to get an idea of what healthcare entails. Healthcare courses tend to have a high drop-out rate so I guess the admissions tutors want to see that you know what you're letting yourself in for so you don't turn round a few months into the course and say you don't like it, I've been told similar by a mentor at the hospital I did some shadowing at. Also, nursing is very competitive so it helps your application stand out.
Some unis are stricter than others on it, but I have heard of a few people who were accepted with no experience, but really for your own good you should try and get some. It's not so much the amount of hours you can put down but what you've taken from it.
Reply 3
Hey, I applied with no experience and got accepted at Nottingham Uni.... I am expecting a shock when I do get some experience through the course but my dad is a nurse so I am sorta prepared by what he has told me...it is possible I guess *fingers crossed!
Reply 4
it is not impossible but it would really really help your application.
it is not hard to do one hour a week of volunteering, so why risk a place on a nursing course by applying with no experience.

a few of the girls on my course were rejected from all 5 nursing courses last year because the uni said they didn't have enough experience compared to other applicants.

with the government cutting uni places but more people applying that ever, it is in your best interests to totally maximise your application.
I had little highly reveleant experience but managed to get two offers.. it's definately possible, try and get some experience whilst applying
Reply 6
I had no experience at all and got offers from all 3 of the unis I applied to :smile:

I would say that it would be better to have some experience though! Just to make sure it's something you really want to do. As someone else said, there is a high drop-out rate and from what I've seen, it's because the course just wasn't what people expected!
Oh you can get a place, whether or not you will stay on the course is another matter however..lots of people with no experience do struggle with the environment and the nursing role is often not what they expected
Reply 8
I agree you'll be more likely to complete the course if you have experience beforehand. Its one thing to have an idea of what nursing involves but actually doing it can be a shock and not as expected.

Just because you don't need experience doesn't mean you shouldn't try and get some. You'll probably find your first placement easier if you know what to expect and you'll be better able to learn nursing skills.
Reply 9
Subcutaneous
Oh you can get a place, whether or not you will stay on the course is another matter however..lots of people with no experience do struggle with the environment and the nursing role is often not what they expected

Subcutaneous - hi, i realise you posted this a while ago but you mentioned that you're studying adult nursing at nottingham (both the course and the uni that i'm desperate to get into!). I was wondering if you could offer me any advice for applications, what the course entails, how i could make myself look like a better application to the university?
ANY help you can give would be really appreciated, thankyou.
I've done voluntary work at a primary school and am now volunteering at a hospital. Is that enough, so far?
Reply 11
Id be more inclined to say, even if it where possible don't do it it would be a waste of your time to start your degree unless you really know its what you want to do, that's why they ask for experience, especially for something like nursing.

You should never look at it in terms of enough work experience because you should ENJOY DOING it afterall thats what you'll be doing with your life in the future :smile:

Anyway good luck I have alot of respect for everyone who applies for nursing
Reply 12
Original post by hay.hay
I had no experience at all and got offers from all 3 of the unis I applied to :smile:

I would say that it would be better to have some experience though! Just to make sure it's something you really want to do. As someone else said, there is a high drop-out rate and from what I've seen, it's because the course just wasn't what people expected!

great..what were your grades and what a levels did you do before applying for uni.

Quick Reply