How to become a children鈥檚 nurse
No two days are the same when you鈥檙e a children鈥檚 nurse, with constant learning and development of skills. This guide contains all the information you need to help you decide if this role might be for you.
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CONTENTS
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Routes to becoming a children鈥檚 nurse
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Skills required
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Finding work experience
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How to get a job as a children鈥檚 nurse
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What it's like to be a children鈥檚 nurse
Routes to becoming a children鈥檚 nurse
If you are thinking of training to become a children鈥檚 nurse, there are a number of routes to explore. You could elect to do an undergraduate children鈥檚 nurse degree based at a university or you might secure a degree apprenticeship with an employer. Alternatively, if you have an undergraduate degree in a related field, you could look at postgraduate courses focusing on children鈥檚 nursing and gain registered nursing status that way.
Undergraduate degrees
Undergraduate nursing degrees focus on four main areas of nursing; adult, children, mental health and learning disabilities. You could therefore choose a children鈥檚 nursing degree or study for a 鈥榙uel field鈥� degree that will incorporate two areas. Whichever option you go for, full time undergraduate nursing courses usually take three years to complete, or four in Scotland.
Entry requirements for children鈥檚 nursing vary depending on the university and specific course but usually range from 104鈥�136 UCAS tariff points.
To qualify as a registered nurse, you鈥檒l need to successfully complete a range of theoretical and practical elements including several work placements.
You can learn more about what to expect from a Nursing degree in our Nursing subject guide, including what topics you鈥檒l cover and how you鈥檒l be assessed.
Degree apprenticeships
Nursing degree apprenticeships are available through some employers and involve 80% on the job training and 20% classroom-based study at a university approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
To gain a nursing degree apprenticeship you鈥檒l need to find an opportunity you鈥檙e interested in with an organisation you鈥檇 like to work for and apply for the role. You can find nursing apprenticeship vacancies on the NHS jobs website.
An apprenticeship usually takes four years but could take less if the apprentice already has prior relevant experience. The employer will pay your university fees and provide you with a wage throughout your apprenticeship, so it would be a useful alternative to explore.
Once you have successfully completed the apprenticeship, you will be qualified to work as a registered nurse. You could also be offered a permanent job with the organisation you鈥檝e trained with.
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- Nursing degree apprenticeship
Postgraduate degrees
If you already have a relevant undergraduate degree, you could look at a specialist postgraduate 'pre-registration' degreein children鈥檚 nursing. Entry requirements will vary depending on the course and university but you are usually expected to have a good honours degree and recent work or voluntary experience in a health or social care setting.
Full time postgraduate courses usually take two years to complete and are a mix of practical and theoretical study. Once completed you鈥檒l become a registered children鈥檚 nurse.
Skills you鈥檒l need
Nursing is more than just academic ability; you鈥檒l need to possess and be willing to develop skills such as:
- Teamworking skills
- Multi-tasking
- Ability to work in a fast paced and high-pressured environment
- Emotional resilience
- Empathy
- Excellent communication skills
- Ability to adapt information to different ages
- Organisation skills
Finding work experience
Working as a children鈥檚 nurse is both rewarding and demanding so it鈥檚 worth investing time gaining some work experience to understand more about what鈥檚 involved.
Try looking for voluntary work at your local NHS Trust or St John鈥檚 Ambulance or get some experience working with children in an alternative setting such as a school or nursery.
How to get a job as a children鈥檚 nurse
Many nursing graduates find work with the NHS and opportunities are regularly found on their jobs website.
You may also find work with private healthcare providers, nursing agencies, child health centre clinics, school health education units, travel companies and children鈥檚 charities.
What it's like to be a children鈥檚 nurse
Depending on your role and specialisation, your tasks could include:
- Responding quickly to emergencies
- Explaining care plans to patients and their families/carers to gain consent
- Assessing, monitoring and reporting on patients
- Observing and recording pulse, temperature and respiration
- Giving drugs and injections
- Setting up drips and checking intravenous infusions
- Advising patients and carers on ways to promote good health
You鈥檒l work with other healthcare and child services specialists and might be based in a hospital, day care centre, clinic or at a child鈥檚 home.
If you work for the NHS, you鈥檒l typically start on band 5 of the pay scale which is currently £28,407 to £34,581. This could increase significantly with experience and responsibility. For example, a matron or nurse consultant earns from £50,952 to £57,349.
Is a role as a children鈥檚 nurse right for you?
If you鈥檇 like to be part of a multidisciplinary team caring for children of all ages from babies to teenagers as well as supporting their families, children鈥檚 nursing could be for you.
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