Registered Nurse
Registered Nurse
Registered nurses working in social care, work with people and their families, carers and partners to promote health and prevent ill health. Their aim is to improve the quality of life for people and get the best possible outcomes and experience of care.
Level
The average pay for staff nurse is £35,000 – £37,000 per year
Qualifications & skills to access role
Option 1 – BSc Nursing: Like other nurses a nursing degree is needed to enter the profession. To enter the BSc you will need A’Levels or equivalent. You could also access the BSc through an Access to Nursing Course, for which you will only require GCSE Maths, English and Science. More information on BSc Nursing here.
Option 2 – BSc Apprenticeship: If offered by your preferred employer, you can undertake a Nursing Degree Apprenticeship (Level 6).
Option 3 – MSc Nursing: for people with an existing non nursing degree.
Note – 18 month top up courses supported by the employer are in development for people with a existing degree.
Useful experience
The most important skills to have are communication and interpersonal skills. A Registered Nurse will need to communicate and often advocate for care needs with a wide range of people including professionals. They will also need good decision-making skills, be able to teach and advise to ensure quality of care outcomes and experience.
Ahead of progressing on to a nursing degree, taking on a paid role as a Nursing Associate in a Nursing Home is a great way of developing experience for working in care settings and progressing on to become a Registered Nurse. Usually you would start as a Trainee Nursing Associate, which involves working whilst studying one day a week, before you become qualified in the full Nursing Associate role.
Progression
A Registered Nurse in a care setting, can progress to become a Clinical Nurse Lead (Band 7). A Leadership or management qualification would be needed to make this step.
With the right experience and further qualifications a nurse can take on the non-clinical role of a Registered Manager.
Progression can also be made in to specialist roles through further experience and/or taking the relevant additional courses. Examples include becoming a supervisor, assessor, trainer, infection control lead, end of life care, dementia champion.
Where I can work
Registered Nurses primarily work in Nursing Homes, but there are now more opportunities available working in other care settings too – this can include residential and care homes; and in individuals’ own homes through home care support.
More information on where Registered Nurses can work
Associated roles
Registered Nurses in care settings can easily switch to other nursing roles due to the breadth of experience they will have developed working in a care environment – examples of other nursing roles are: hospital, district, GP surgeries and mental health nurses.
