A Career in Nursing

Do you want to make a difference? Do you want a challenging and rewarding career where each day is never the same? If you’re a good people person, a hard worker and have a desire to help people then a career in nursing could be for you. X-Cel talks to Foluke Ajayi, head of NHS Careers to find out more about what a career in nursing can offer you.

What is NHS Careers?
It is a specialised service that provides information on careers in the NHS in England. The service consists of a 24-hour helpline, website, literature and supporting services for NHS employers, schools, colleges and careers advisers. Whether you want to be a midwife or an allied health professional, NHS Careers has advice on the whole spectrum of careers available.

How important is it at the moment to recruit nurses into the NHS?
Very important. Nurses make up over half of the clinical workforce. They are a vital group so the large numbers must be maintained. Nursing continues to be a very popular career choice. To show a commitment to investing in its staff, the NHS has introduced an ‘Improving Working Lives Standard.’ This is designed to make sure that our staff are offered certain employment practices which will improve working life and therefore patient care. Flexible working hours, valuing equality and diversity, access to childcare, tackling discrimination and training and development are just some of the ways the NHS aims to recruit and retain its nurses. 

How do you attract prospective nurses to the NHS?
There are plenty of initiatives for attracting individuals to the NHS. For young people, a lot is done locally to promote a career in nursing. We visit schools to have discussions, share experiences and show pupils equipment. All of this helps to explain to them what is involved in a career in nursing. We also encourage NHS organisations to have open days.

How does the NHS promote diversity and equality in its recruitment process?
This is always high on the agenda. The NHS remains an equal opportunities employer; whatever your age, gender, ethnicity, religious belief or sexual orientation, the NHS regards every applicant equally. It is important that nurses reflect the community they serve, we need nurses who understand their patients and their needs.

What incentives are there for trained nurses to return to the profession?
This varies across the country, some NHS organisations offer free refresher training and some offer expenses towards preparing an individual for work, particularly if they need to travel far. Often nurses are returning to the NHS after a break to have children and raise a family. We have an open-door policy, return when you are ready to.

Aside from professional qualifications, what personal qualities make a person a good nurse?
You must have a strong desire to work with people. A good nurse is empathetic, patient and a team player. You will be liasing with a variety of people from piers and colleagues to patients and their families. Having good communication skills is vital if you want to become a nurse, the system would break down without it.

What are the career prospects for nurses?
Career prospects are very good; many choices are available to those who wish to enhance their careers. There is always the opportunity to specialise in certain clinical areas. But if you want to stay within nursing, you can climb the ladder to become a Consultant Nurse or a Head of Ward. For those of you who may wish to take a more managerial role, positions such as Assistant Lead Nurse and Operation Director are possible to attain.

What training incentives are there?
The NHS has a bursary scheme to financially support people who wish to train to be nurses. This grant is awarded to eligible students to cover living costs and tuition fees. The NHS offers very good financial support to students in comparison with funding for other qualifications; students at university often rely on parental support and/or student loans.

For more information on Bursaries for Nursing Students visit: http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/nhs-knowledge_base/data/225.html

What advice would you offer to students looking to enter into a career in nursing?
Go for it, but make sure you do some background research before applying for courses. It is advisable to do some work experience or shadowing. You will quickly get a feel for the different areas of nursing and therefore, which area you may want to specialise in. Keep an open mind; there are endless opportunities to move around once you are qualified.

For more information visit the NHS careers website, www.nhscareers.nhs.uk, or call the helpline 0845 6060655

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