Nurse - Registered (Child)

Registered nurses (child) care for sick children in hospital or the community. Children are less able to explain their symptoms, and are more easily frightened by strange environments. As a nurse you must assess each child’s needs, both physical and emotional, and give comfort. You also provide support and advice to parents.

The Work

You could be:

• working out care plans for sick children


• comforting a child in distress or in pain


• recording temperatures, blood pressures and respiration rates


• giving injections and medicines, or cleaning and dressing wounds


• fixing drips and blood transfusions


• assisting at operations and removing stitches


• doing routine work on the ward, such as bed making


• discussing a child’s progress with doctors and keeping records


• advising parents of their child’s treatment and progress.

Conditions

• You would probably work in a hospital.


• You might have to work shifts, including unsocial hours.


• You would wear a uniform and sometimes protective clothing.


• There would be some heavy lifting of older child patients.


• You would have to be able to cope with blood, vomit, urine and excrement.


• You might be able to work part time.

Getting In

You can become a registered nurse (child) by two routes:

• You can take a 3 year Diploma in Higher Education (DipHE) in nursing – entry requirements are usually 2 Highers plus English and maths at Standard grade. An Access to nursing course may also give entry. However, always check that the course is accepted by the university or college you want to go to before you apply.


• You can take a 3-4 year degree in nursing, entry requirements 2-4 Highers, preferably including English and a science subject.


• The first half of the DipHE is common to all nursing and is followed by child nursing specialisms – not all universities run child nursing so check carefully.


• For health care workers employed in areas of Scotland beyond travelling distance of a teaching hospital, it is now possible to train part time through the Open University. This is a new initiative developed by the OU in partnership with the Royal College of Nursing. Training is available both for health care assistants who want to train as registered nurses, and for qualified nurses who want to train in a specialism. The availability of these courses mean that health service employees in remote or rural areas no longer have to leave home and their jobs to undergo further training.


• To work in this job you must declare any criminal convictions. Certain types of conviction may prevent you from getting in. Contact Disclosure Scotland for details.


• You should be fit – there is a medical examination. You must provide evidence that you do not have, and have been immunised against, Hepatitis B.


• When you complete your training you must register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).


• It is helpful to have some experience in care work.


• Financial support is available from the Nursing and Midwifery Bursary Section of the Students Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS).

What Does It Take?

You should be:

• able to get on well with children and their parents from all backgrounds


• a good communicator


• very observant and able to act on your own initiative


• patient and cheerful, with a good sense of humour


• willing to take responsibility


• confident to make decisions


• good at working in teams


• able to cope with distressing situations


• able to remain calm in stressful situations and support distressed children and parents.

Training

Once you have gained NMC registration, training is on-the-job, with short courses to keep you up-to-date.

Getting On

• With experience you could become a team leader or a ward manager, responsible for a children’s ward or clinic.


• You could take further courses in specialist children’s nursing, such as orthopaedics or cancer.

Pay

On the NHS Agenda for Change payscales a newly qualified nurse is on Band 5. From April 2010 this ranges from £21,176 to £27,534 a year.

You can find details of the Agenda for Change pay structure including promoted senior posts at NHS Careers website.

More Information

According to a recent survey there is still a shortage of nurses in Scotland. Figures also show that in general the nursing workforce is ageing, with over 15,000 working nurses aged over 50. One in four nurses is due to retire in the next ten years. Demand for nurses is therefore expected to continue to grow.

Child nursing is one of the most popular branches of nursing and most difficult to enter. After finishing training there are few jobs in Scotland although there are still vacancies in England. If you wish to work abroad you are advised to do the adult nurse training first as this is more acceptable.

You can find more information about NHS careers and job vacancies in Scotland by visiting the Scottish Executive InfoScotland NHS website at www.infoscotland.com/nhs/

Addresses

The following organisation(s) may be able to provide further information.