Children's nurse [1]
Child nursing involves everything from nursing a sick newborn to an adolescent road accident victim. You'll need to consider the care and support needed by the wider family, including parents and carers.
Entry requirements for adult nursing degrees and nursing degree apprenticeships are set by the individual universities and employers respectively, but typically you will usually need a minimum of five GCSEs at grade C/4 or above plus two A-levels or equivalent qualifications, such as a T level or BTEC at level 3. Some universities may ask for three A-levels or equivalent.
Child nurses in the NHS will usually work standard hours of 37.5 per week and will start at band 5 of Agenda for Change with opportunities to progress. Many child nurses will work shifts, especially within in-patient departments. Terms and conditions can vary for employers outside of the NHS, such as the police force or prison service.
You’ll need to be able to reassure distressed children, their family and carers. Verbal and non-verbal communication skills are important as well as the ability to play sensitively with a child. It's likely that you'll need to advise or teach the child's parents/carers what they’ll need to do to treat a child at home. Respect, sensitivity and empathy are also important characteristics for a child nurse.
Some nurses decide to do into management, teaching or clinical academic research. With additional education and training, you could also specialise in roles such as health visiting, neo-natal nursing or school nursing. There are also opportunities to become nurse consultants.
Related roles
- Neonatal nurse [2]
- Health play staff [3]
- Health visitor [4]
- Healthcare assistant [5]
You'll work with people of all ages on a wide range of psychological difficulties in mental and physical health. This can include anxiety, depression, psychosis, 'personality disorder', eating disorders, addictions, learning disabilities and family or relationship issues.
You’ll need an honours degree in psychology to become a member of the Graduate Member of the British Psychological Society which allows you to apply for post graduate courses in clinical psychology. You could also be a clinical associate in psychology (CAP), a mental health professional who provides psychologically informed interventions under the supervision of a fully qualified clinical psychologist.
Most jobs in the NHS are covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay scales. While training, clinical psychologists will be paid at band 6 and after completing their training, they will be paid at band 7. Clinical psychologists in the NHS work full or part time. Terms and conditions can vary for employers outside of the NHS.
On a daily basis you will use a broad range of skills, including a thorough knowledge of psychological theory and practice, an interest in how people think and behave and the ability to relate to a wide range of people including patients and colleagues.You'll need to be a patient, sympathetic and the ability to work on your own and in consultation with others.
Clinical psychologists work in health and social care settings including hospitals, health centres, community mental health teams, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) and social services. They often work as part of a team with other health professionals and practitioners. Most clinical psychologists are employed by the NHS, but some work in private practice. You could specialise (for example in clinical neuropsychology), apply for a supervisory or managerial role, go into research, or undertake further training to be a family and systemic psychotherapist.