How to become a nurse

Nursing is one of the most rewarding careers you can do. So, it’s no wonder many people are now wanting to become a nurse.
Tiring? Yes.
Emotional? Of course.
Rewarding? Definitely.
Most nurses won’t have it any other way!
Nurses are the backbone to hospitals, GP’s, clinics and hospices. They are the life and soul of the healthcare profession, caring for patients on a daily basis. It’s hard work, but there isn’t another job like it.
Imagine going to work every day and helping someone to get better or making their end of life as comfortable as possible.
Sound like the career for you?
Make a difference in a person's life with a job you love. Consider starting or embarking on a nursing career.
 

What is a nurse?

It’s hard to completely define just one role for a nurse. Primarily, the nurse’s role is to care for patients and save lives, but their day to day jobs vary massively.
Whilst doctors specialise in one area, nurses care for all aspects of a patient’s health and will always coordinate the care and administer prescriptions and drugs.
 

What do nurses do?

Nurses never just do one job, so outlining their job roles one by one can be a challenge! Nurses are skilled in many fields and may choose to focus specifically on certain types of care. Some specific nursing fields A&E, geriatrics, critical care, paediatrics and treatment planning.
From working face-to-face with patients to managing their paperwork, nurses play a huge role in our lives and their career paths are wide and varied. With so many different routes on to progression, you should definitely consider taking the next steps to become a nurse.
 

How do I become a nurse?

In order to work as a qualified nurse, you will need a degree in nursing, where you will not only study the principles of nursing, but also work in various placement settings to gain practical skills.
The fact that you need a degree, does not need to send you into panic. If you haven't achieved the right qualifications, such as A levels, you can still get into a nursing degree with our Access to HE Diploma (Health).
Access to HE can help you on the right path. Whether you didn’t get the grades the first time around, or you want a complete change of career, studying an Access to HE Diploma (Health) will get you on the right steps to becoming a nurse.
You can embark on your nursing journey at any point in life, no matter how old you are. If you have always wanted to be a nurse, or fancy a change of career - it's the perfect next step!
The access to HE course is the equivalent to taking three A levels and will earn you UCAS points to apply for a healthcare specific degree.