Nursing Jobs in the United Kingdom

Nursing Jobs Overview

Nurses are at the forefront of the healthcare industry. A nurse helps, comforts, and cares for infirm people every day. Professionals working in nursing jobs care for patients suffering from chronic, acute physical, or mental health conditions. They play a vital role in recovery by implementing care plans, performing assessments and examinations, and focusing on the patient's needs rather than the condition or illness. If you are looking for a rewarding and dynamic role in the healthcare sector, a job in nursing may be an ideal fit for you.

Demand for skilled nurses in the UK is growing significantly, making now an excellent time to start your job search. A nursing job can offer you a fantastic start to a thriving and fulfilling career in healthcare, with plenty of opportunities for vocational progression. With experience, you could pursue various specialties such as acute care, theatre nursing, orthopaedics, or neonatal. You can also benefit from job security, a flexible work schedule, remote working, nursing grants, and relocation packages.

In this role, you'll usually work as part of a multidisciplinary team with other healthcare professionals, such as therapists, doctors, and social workers. Typical nursing job duties may include:

• taking temperatures, blood pressures, and pulse rates
• checking and administering drugs and injections
• maintaining patient records
• using medical equipment
• providing emotional support to patients and relatives
• assessing and planning nursing care requirements
• supervising junior staff

As a full-time nurse working in an NHS hospital or facility, you will usually work 37.5 hours per week, including morning and night shifts. Depending on your area of specialty, you may have the option to work a 9-5 shift pattern, rotations, or night shifts followed by a day off.

The NHS may offer part-time, flexi-time, job sharing, and the option to work from home. If you choose to work in the private sector, you may have more control over your hours and shift types. You could also work in private homes, hospices, schools, care homes, the armed forces, or general practices. You may also want to explore our nurse job description for more on what to expect with this highly in-demand career path.

For additional jobs related to healthcare jobs, you can search for:

• care assistant jobs
• hospital jobs
• occupational therapy jobs

Education and Skills for Nursing Jobs

To work as a nurse, you must first register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC.) After that, you can choose a few different routes:

• take a nursing degree in one of the four specialty areas: adult nursing, children's nursing, mental health nursing, or learning disability nursing. You will spend half of your degree working in hospital and community settings. You may be able to join the second year if you already have a degree in related subjects such as social work, psychology, or life sciences.
• earn a nursing apprenticeship available at intermediate, advanced, higher, and degree levels. You will combine academic study with on-the-job training in a healthcare setting.
• volunteer in social care or healthcare settings where you will work alongside experienced staff.

Each of these avenues will have its own entry requirements, but you will generally be required to have some A levels. To work with children, young adults, and vulnerable groups, you will need to pass an enhanced background check.

Once you have gained the required qualifications, you can work as a registered nurse in various settings and move into roles such as lead nurse, matron, ward sister, or senior staff nurse.

As a nurse, you will need specific soft skills and qualities such as sensitivity, compassion, patience, communication, resilience, and teamwork.

Update Your Nursing Job CV

Make sure your CV is up to date before you start looking for nursing jobs. It's critical to keep track of any new courses you've taken or skills you've attained, as this will help you stand out from the competition. Monster has some excellent CV writing tips and templates to help you craft a stand-out CV.

It's a good idea to highlight previous accomplishments and any soft or transferable abilities that would capture a potential employer's attention. Consider real-world scenarios and experiences in which you made a difference in someone's life or took the initiative in a difficult situation.

Remember to send a cover letter with your application, highlighting why you will be an excellent match for the position. For help with crafting a praiseworthy letter, we have lots of cover letter tips to get you started.

Preparing for Your Nursing Job Interview

An interview for this position may entail some situational and personality-based questions. A hiring manager will be interested in learning about your personal attributes and your skills and motivations. You might be asked how you handled a tense workplace situation or what you would do in an emergency. Remember to choose examples that are relevant to your knowledge and experience. Read our interview preparation articles for extra tips to increase your chances of landing the job.

How Much Can You Earn from Nursing Jobs?

Nurses in the UK earn an average of £34,320 a year. Your salary is determined by your experience and credentials and will vary regionally, with salaries usually highest in Greater London. Your pay will also differ between the NHS and private sectors. The NHS operates in a banding system.

Most nurses work in band five, with band six to nine being management positions. This will include senior roles such as lead nurse, matron, or ward sister and will pay more, but you can advance to these positions with the proper training, education, and experience. The NHS may offer benefit packages including pension schemes, health service discounts, support with childcare, and grants.

Begin Your Search for Nursing Jobs

Are you ready to find a rewarding career in the nursing industry? Begin your search today by creating your free Monster profile. You will be able to apply for jobs, upload your CV, receive new customised job alerts, and access helpful articles. It is also a great way to help potential recruiters find you online.