Nurse

Introduction

Nurses look after people who are unwell or who, for some other reason (such as pregnancy, a learning disability or old age) need special care. They are involved in the planning of care for their patients, and they work in a variety of settings.

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Work Activities

Nurses care for people's emotional, psychological and physical needs. They aim to promote the health of the individual and population. There are four branch programmes - adult, mental health, learning disabilities, children. Nurses may work in hospitals or in the wider community.

Although some nurses (eg district nurses) may spend a large amount of time working on their own in direct contact with patients, all nurses are part of a wider health care team. This includes other nurses, health care assistants, doctors, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, psychiatrists, social workers and many others. Nurses are responsible for planning and implementing the complete nursing care of their patients.

Whatever the setting or the problem, nurses assess nursing needs and draw up care plans. They observe the effectiveness of care and modify the care plan accordingly.

Nurses of any discipline may work in hospitals, community based health centres or in patients' homes. Some may concentrate on health promotion work. For instance, they might help patients to regain or retain their independence, which allows them to continue living at home.

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Personal Qualities and Skills

You need to have good communication skills. This is partly so that you can work effectively in a team, and partly so you can talk to patients in language they will understand and involve them in care planning.

Nurses must be familiar with the use of computers and should have an interest in science and an understanding of how the body and mind work.

Carrying out physical care requires practical ability and good observational skills.

Nurses must be resourceful, mature and tolerant enough to cope with demanding patients and other difficult situations. It is important that you are flexible, can use your initiative and have a good understanding of the organisation you work for.

Most nursing posts require a certain level of physical fitness. Nurses sometimes need to lift and support patients. Nurses have to be prepared to carry out dirty duties involving body fluids and excrement. They have to be able to offer sympathy to distressed patients while keeping an emotional distance.

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Pay and Opportunities

National Health Service (NHS) employees are paid on a rising scale within defined pay bands, according to their skills and responsibilities.

On the NHS Agenda for Change pay scales, a newly qualified nurse is on Band 5. From April 1, 2009 this has been £20,710 - £26,839 a year. A nurse team leader is on Band 6 (£24,831 - £33,436), while a nurse team manager is on Band 7 (£29,789 - £39,273 a year).

At the highest levels, nurse consultants can earn up to £65,657, depending on responsibilities.

Nurses work a basic 37.5-hour week. Shift work is usual, some employers offer flexi-time working, and overtime is common.

Most nurses work in the NHS (in hospitals and in the community). Other employers are the armed forces, schools, colleges and universities, private health care providers, the prison service and some private companies.

There are also opportunities to work in other countries (some countries require additional qualifications).

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Adult Opportunities

Age limits apply to this occupation. To start training as a nurse, you must be aged at least 17 in Scotland (17 and a half in England) on the day the course starts. You must be at least 16 before you can apply for the course.

If you don't have the qualifications that are usually needed to enter a degree or DipHE in nursing course, you might be able to start one after completing a college or university Access course, eg, Access to Nursing. You don't usually need any formal qualifications to start an Access course, but you should check individual course details

Other possible routes into nursing training for mature entrants can be a Scottish Vocational Qualification (SVQ) level 3 in a relevant subject (e.g. care), Access to Nursing course, modular course credits from the Open University, and Return to Practice courses.

Shortened or accelerated training courses are available for some graduates. For example, you can take a two-year nursing diploma if you have a degree in a relevant subject area, such as life sciences, social sciences or a health-related topic.

Students on a pre-registration nursing or midwifery DipHE or degree course are eligible for a bursary from the Scottish Government Health Department. The Students Awards Agency of Scotland (SAAS) administers the Nursing and Midwifery Students' Bursary Scheme (NMSB). Contact the SAAS for detail.

The Royal College of Nursing also administers a number of post-registration scholarships and awards for experienced and qualified nurses. RCN also offers scholarship awards for pre-registration graduates.

The Government is keen to welcome qualified and experienced people back into the NHS. If you have not practised for five years and want to return to the NHS, you will need to join a Return to Practice programme (approved by the NMC). These courses refresh clinical skills and include classroom sessions to discuss theory.

Many Return to Practice courses are part time.

• 35% of nurses work part-time.
• 5% have flexible hours.
• 3% of employees work on a temporary basis.

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