How to become a Nurse or Midwife
Nursing degree
Most people qualify by studying a degree in nursing. Nursing degrees aren’t all about having your nose in a book. There is lots of practical hands on experience with patients in hospital and community settings. Approved full-time nursing degree courses last for three (or four years if taking a dual-field degree), or longer if taken on a part-time basis. Accelerated courses for graduates take two years. Courses involve spending half your time studying at university and half gaining practical, supervised experience in a range of healthcare settings.
The first thing to decide is which field of nursing you want to study in.
The four fields of nursing are:
Adult nursing
Children’s nursing
Learning disability nursing
Mental health nursing
Skills Key
Why did you choose to become a nurse?
Each Capital Nurse has their own story to becoming a nurse and reasons why
Other ways to become a nurse
Registered nurse degree apprenticeships (RNDA)
A registered nurse degree apprenticeship (RNDA) offers a flexible route to becoming a nurse that doesn’t require full-time study at university.
You will need to secure a position as an RNDA and your employer will release you to study at university part time. You will train in a range of practice placements, for example hospitals, GP practices, people’s homes and mental health facilities.
You’ll typically need level 3 and maths and English qualification/s to start an RNDA. If you have a level 5 qualification as a nursing associate or assistant practitioner, your apprenticeship might be called a ‘top up’ RNDA or ‘conversion’ to registered nurse course.
Nursing associate
The role of nursing associate sits alongside existing nursing care support workers and fully-qualified registered nurses in both health and social care.
It opens up a career in nursing to people from all backgrounds and offers the opportunity to progress to training to become a registered nurse.
Nursing associates work across all four fields of nursing: adult, children’s, mental health, and learning disability. Your skills and responsibilities will vary, depending on the care setting you work in. You’ll undertake academic learning one day a week and work-based learning the rest of the week.
A nursing associate is not a registered nurse, but with further training, it can be possible to ‘top up’ your training to become one.
Explore the links below for more information about becoming a nurse or midwife:
There are hundreds of reasons that professionals from all over the world set up home in London.
If you have completed a nursing or midwifery qualification and want to relocate, find out how to apply here.
Are you a registered nurse and based outside the UK but looking to relocate?
Nursing in the Community – The Queen’s Nursing Institute
Driving in Great Britain on a non-GB Licence