What can I do with a Nursing degree?
Support and guidance for students looking to begin their career in nursing.
Completing an approved nursing degree will enable you to pursue a career as a registered nurse. There are different types of nursing to consider including adult and mental health.
Adult Nurses support and care for a variety of patients, including those suffering with minor injuries and ailments as well as acute and long term illnesses and diseases. After gaining enough experience you could also consider work as a nurse trainer of delivering health education. Mental Health Nurses help people with mental health conditions by supporting their recovery and helping them to live their lives independently in a fulfilling way.
The NHS is a large employer for Adult and Mental Health Nurses. They can work in a variety of settings in the community such as hospitals, GP’s surgeries, community health centres, prisons, schools and universities, or the patient’s own home.
As well as training you to become a nurse your degree will also allow you to develop many transferable skills and qualities valued by graduate employers, so do not restrict your thinking to the jobs listed above. Useful websites to explore your ideas are Prospects, Target Jobs and NHS Health Careers.
What do nursing graduates do?
After graduation 91% of nursing graduates employed in the UK are working as nurses. Of those not working as nurses, others work in roles such as other health professionals, care workers, home carers, nursing auxiliaries and assistants and paramedics.
Just over 87% of nursing graduates are employed 15 months after graduating (source Prospects.ac.uk).
For a detailed breakdown of what nursing students are doing six months after graduation, see What Do Graduates Do?