Nursing

By Zoe Flood

Published: 15 August 2004

What do you come out with? A BNurs, at most places, or a BSc in nursing. At the end of a degree you also qualify for professional registration.

Why do it? Because nursing is highly demanded and is a high responsibility profession these days. Doing a degree rather than a diploma means that you have a head start on the promotion ladder and have a high level of problem-solving ability. To be a nurse you have to be caring but tough, and know how to deal with people and all their problems.

What's it all about? You will come out of a nursing degree able to register as an adult, child, mental health or special needs nurse, prepared for work in hospitals or the community. Different universities offer different combinations of the strands on offer, with Edinburgh, for example, training students to register either as an adult or a mental health nurse. Whilst a lot of emphasis will be placed on clinical experience, a sound physiological basis is considered essential, and you can also be expected to study units on topics such as ethics, law and psychology. Students are expected to develop a capacity for critical thinking and for seeking quick solutions to problems. Links with local hospitals mean that clinical experience will often take place in real-life situations.

How long does it take? Three years, or four if you are studying in Scotland.

What are the students like? Highly motivated and motivated to do the course. Practical and caring. Nursing still remains a predominantly female profession.

How is it packaged? There is a 50:50 split between the practical and the academic sides of the course. Many of the courses, like the one at Birmingham, are modular. Due to the highly practical nature of the course, assessment is generally continuous, using methods such as coursework, project and portfolios. Exams do still play a part, with, for example, a third of the course assessed by written exam at Birmingham.

How cool is it? Unless you fancy a walk-on part in Casualty it's best to get real. Look forward to long shifts and lower status than the doctors, but plenty of job satisfaction. Students at King's are studying at a university with the UK's widest range of specialisms in the field of health care. The department has its roots in the original nursing school set up by Florence Nightingale at St Thomas's Hospital, and is known as The Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery.

What A levels? Edinburgh asks for Biology at GCSE, whilst Birmingham asks for Maths, English and Science. Both are flexible about A-level subjects. South Bank asks for five GCSEs.

What grades? At Edinburgh you'll need BBB or BBBB at Highers. Birmingham asks for CCC, while for South Bank all the five GCSEs must be at C or above.

Will you be interviewed? It depends. Birmingham interviews all its candidates, whilst those made offers by Edinburgh are invited to an Open Day. Tutors are keen to make sure that students are applying for the right reasons.

Will it keep you off the dole? Yes, for life. You are just what the government ordered and your local hospital needs you. Almost all graduates will go straight into nursing employment. Some will choose to be ward or district nurses, whilst others will aim for more specialist nursing areas and become clinical specialists or nurse consultants. A small number will continue with further study.

Where's the best for teaching? Central Lancashire, Bolton Institute of Higher Education, Reading, Northumbria and Newcastle University scored 24 out of 24; Manchester, Luton, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire Chilterns University College, Teesside and Greenwich scored 23; Bournemouth, Brunel, Canterbury Christ Church University College, Edge Hill College of Higher Education, Staffordshire, University College Northampton, University College Worcester, Brighton, Huddersfield and Nottingham scored 22. Edinburgh, Glasgow, Glasgow Caledonian, Queen Margaret University College were rated highly regarded.

Where's the best for research? Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and York were all awarded a 5, whilst City, Hertfordshire, King's, Leeds, University of Wales College of Medicine and Ulster scored 4.

What do students say? Flora Knapp, 23, graduated 2004 from Edinburgh University. "I've really enjoyed the course, particularly as you have the option to do units from different faculties. The department is small which means that you get to know everyone very well. Studying different areas certainly does enable you to develop transferable skills. I'm quite excited about being a staff nurse, and I do feel well-prepared. After an entirely academic 4th year it does take some time to get back into being on the wards, but the strong theoretical base does help."

Gemma Rowbury, 21, at the end of the 4th year, Edinburgh University. "My experience of nursing at Edinburgh has been very positive. The staff are very enthusiastic and supportive which really helps to motivate you. The lectures are wide-ranging in the topics that they cover - from human physiology to pathophysiology, as well as nursing theories, ethics and the development of the role of nursing. As far as the practical side goes, it can be very challenging! However I did feel that the course prepared me well and that I was well supported on the wards as well as in the classroom."

Where's the cutting edge? Genetics and the future of genetic manipulation are all important on the biological side. From a social science perspective, it is understanding the social context of health. Birmingham focuses on two major research strands - health maintenance and rehabilitation.

Who are the stars? Professor Rosemary Crow heads the newly established European Academy of Nursing Sciences. Professors Fiona Ross and Sally Redfern and Dr Sarah Robinson lead the Department of Health-funded Nursing Research Unit at King's. Josephine Tonks Fawcett, Head of Nursing Studies at Edinburgh, is the editor of Nursing Practice, Hospital and Home - The Adult. Helen Green is Senior Research Nurse for the Wellcome Trust Clinical Research Facility in Birmingham.

Added value: Birmingham offers an elective module that takes students abroad on a four week placement. Most go to Australia, New Zealand, India or the Caribbean.