Types of nursing

Nursing gives you the opportunity to make a difference to people’s lives on a daily basis. There are four key areas of nursing you can choose to specialise in, with each leading on to a wide range of rewarding roles with plenty of scope for progression.

• Mental health nurse

  You’ll deliver care and support to patients who are struggling with their mental health, helping them manage their condition with medication or relevant therapies.
   

  Becoming a mental health nurse

  

• Learning disability nurse

  You’ll help people with learning disabilities to live an independent and fulfilling life, working alongside a multidisciplinary team as you support patients of all ages.
   

  Becoming a learning disability nurse

  

• Adult nurse

  You’ll look after adult patients of all ages who suffer from long or short-term physical health conditions, assessing their needs and planning their care as you nurses them back to health.
   

  Becoming an adult nurse

  

• Children’s nurse

  You’ll work with children of all ages, from newborns to adolescents, providing treatment and care to them, and support to their parents or carers.
   

  Becoming a children's nurse

  

• Nursing associate

  A new role within the nursing team, you'll get the chance to work across all four fields of nursing, as well as being a stepping stone to becoming a registered nurse.

  Becoming a nursing associate

  

Roles you can do after qualifying

• District nurse

  You'll provide complex care for patients and support for family members in people's homes and in residential care homes.

• General practice nurse

  You'll work in GP surgeries and involved in most aspects of patient care such as taking blood samples and wound management.

• Health visitor

  You'll work with families to give pre-school-age children the best possible start in life.

• Neonatal nurse

  You'll care for newborn babies who are born premature or sick and may have problems such as respiratory difficulties or nutritional needs.

• Prison nurse

  You'll provide similar care to GP nurses along with supporting people with mental health and substance misuse problems.

• School nurse

  You'll promote healthy lifestyles and prevent illness with school age students.

• Theatre nurse

  You'll work with patients of all ages in each phase of their operation.