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Nurses work in the National Health Service, private hospitals, armed services, schools and voluntary organisations.
What nurses do
- assess the medical history of patients and record details
- monitor blood pressure, temperature, heart rate, etc
- administer drugs and give injections
- assist other medical staff, particularly doctors, in surgical procedures
- provide emergency medical care, such as resuscitation
- monitor the progress of a patient during therapy
- maintain patient hygiene through bed bathing, attending to defecation and urinary matters, etc
- provide emotional support through listening, encouraging and empathising.
Key skills for nurses
- excellent practical skills
- ability to empathise
- good organisational skills
- ability to work in a team.
Training to be a nurse
A nursing qualification is essential. There are some accelerated two-year postgraduate courses for graduates in relevant subjects. There are also three-year diploma courses and three- or four-year degree courses, primarilty for non-graduates.
The NHS provides financial support to students who take NHS-funded course and who meet eligibility criteria. Support may include payment of tuition and top-up fees, and a bursary. Funding differs for degree or diploma programmes.
Further post-registration training is required for certain branches of the profession, such as health visiting, district nursing, etc.
Salaries for nurses
A newly qualified nurse starts on a salary scale of £19,188 to £24,803. Nurse consultants can earn salaries from £35,000 to around £60,000.
