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A call can make a DIFFERENCE
A call can make a DIFFERENCE
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Nursing is a noble and satisfying career, both personally and professionally. Being an in-demand career, nursing is the UK’s most employable type of degree. According to the University of Sunderland, 94% of students get a job within six months of finishing their course. If you desire to genuinely help and improve others’ lives, then nursing is the perfect career option for you. Now you might be wondering what qualifications you require to step into this career. In this article, we explore all the essential qualifications for you to become a professional nurse. So let’s start.
Before delving into the qualifications required for your nursing career, let’s first get a general overview of what nursing is and the main responsibilities of nurses.
What is nursing?
Nursing is a medical profession in which a nurse performs various functions and responsibilities like patient care. In more simple words, nurses are caregivers who facilitate the patient’s medical and physical needs. Additionally, by observing and monitoring patient’s health conditions, and preventing illness, nurses play a crucial role in the healthcare system. Adding more value, nurses contribute to the overall well-being of patients. They provide medical care, cater to patients’ physical demands and keep medical records for better treatment of patients.
With general overview of nursing, here are the main responsibilities of nurses that include;
To handle all these responsibilities, you need some essential qualifications to improve other’s lives. So, let’s delve into the qualifications necessary for you to become a professional nurse.
Like all other professions, nursing also requires some degree with a high school diploma to step into the world of healthcare and patient dealing. Here are some of the degrees you can choose to pursue your career in nursing.
The first and most popular degree in nursing is the undergraduate nursing degree. While choosing this degree, do you know what’s the good part? It provides many options to choose and study the type of nursing career you are interested in like;
To enter an undergraduate degree, the requirements may vary as each university has its own set of criteria. But don’t worry. The general requirement according to Health Careers NHS for these programs is, having two A-levels or level 3 equivalent qualifications such as BTECs and supporting GCES like English, Maths and Science (biology) or Social science (Psychology). Keep in mind to contact directly to your desired university and find out if A-levels or GCES are acceptable for your interested program or not.
If you want to become a registered nurse, then an ASN degree is the perfect fit for you. It’s a two-year degree program and to your surprise, it is the fast route for you to become a professional registered nurse. To begin your training as a nursing associate, you will need GCEs level 2 qualifications in Maths and English according to NHS Health Careers with other requirements.
With theoretical knowledge, you get hands-on experience working alongside healthcare support workers and industry experts. Isn’t this great? With this, after graduation, you will need the National Council Licensure Examination to get your nursing licence.
One other option is to obtain a BSN degree. It is also a four-year program providing training in healthcare research, patient-care technology, safety and quality in the healthcare system, and taking your career to the next level. To start this degree again you require two A-levels, or equivalent level 3 qualifications like BTECs.
Want to excel more in your career, then you must go for the MSN program. A Master of Science in Nursing can take your expertise to the next level. After getting your undergraduate degree in nursing, you can enrol in the MSN program which typically takes 2-4 years to complete. All you need is your undergraduate degree and the completed qualifications for registration as a nurse.
Another degree option for you in the nursing sector is RNDA. If you don’t want a full-time university study, then the Registered Nurse Degree Apprenticeship is a flexible route for you to become a nurse. What you need to do is to secure a position as RNDA and your employer will allow you to study part-time at the university. To ease your stress, you can start with your level 3 qualifications in Maths and English. RNDA is a four-year program and the good part is, if you get your Accreditation of Prior Experience and Learning (APEL), your apprenticeship length could be reduced to two years only.
With other degrees, Licensed Practitioner Nursing or Licensed Vocational Nursing is one other nursing career choice for you. It’s a year course and a degree can be obtained through college or vocational school. Also after completing the course, you need to take the National Council Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses to get your licence. This course allows you to practise in the health care centre while continuing your studies. As an LPN, you will provide direct care to patients with the supervision of registered nurses and doctors.
With these degrees, for a successful nursing career, you also require some skills like;
To sum up, your passion for helping others and entering a healthcare centre as a nurse is the most wise decision. Starting with a high school diploma, you can opt for undergraduate programs like ASN or BSN, then continue your studies with MSN, or you can opt for apprenticeship programs or a one-year LPN or LVN degree. Choose your desired career from any of these options and set on path to your dream destination.
