Adult nursing covers care of patients over 18 years old and there's vast career choice within the field.

All pre-register nurses need to study at degree level based on NMC Standards guidelines.

You'll spend 50% of your time in a classroom studying theory and 50% of your time in practice placements. These placements will give you the opportunity to practice in community and hospital settings as well as a wide range of other places. It's during the placements that nurses often find their niche. Something just suddenly feels ‘right’.

The course content will vary from university to university, but all of the approved UK universities will offer a course based around the NMC standards.

Some universities have links with overseas universities, offering you the chance to find out what nurses do in other countries. It’s always worth checking out what placements are on offer.

Typical Adult Nursing Course Overview

The degree course runs over 3 years, with an average week of 37.5 hours, split between theory and practice. To start with a lot of the nurse learning is generic and covers areas common to everybody – anatomy and physiology of a healthy individual for example.

As you move into your second and third years there will be greater emphasis on the specifics of adult nursing, leadership and management, and illnesses will be examined in far greater depth. At the end of the third year there will be a dissertation based on an area of particular study interest to you. If you choose this area well - to suit your own interests - it can become the cornerstone to your career in nursing.

Here's what to expect from an Adult Nursing degree:

Year 1

• Introduction to practice knowledge and skills

• Essentials of applied human biology in nursing

• Introduction to delivery of professional care

• Introduction to life sciences

• Practice skills for nursing

• Professional values, ethics and law

• Social sciences and nursing

• Theories and practice for adult nursing

• Communication in health care

• Building professional nursing knowledge

• Health and society

Year 2

• Mental wellbeing and physical health

• Experience of health and illness

• Public health and health policy

• Research methods and use of evidence

• Care of the adult patient

• Life sciences and medicines management

• End of life and palliative care

• Progressing professional nursing knowledge

• Delivery of professional care in the wider context

• Developing adult nursing practice, pathology and related pharmacology

Year 3

• Politics of health

• Leadership, management and supervision

• Pharmacology and medicines management

• Rehabilitation and health promotion of the adult

• Best practice in adult nursing

• Complex care of the adult patient

• Consolidating professional nursing knowledge

• Developing professional autonomy in practice

• Management, ethics and law

• Literature review project (dissertation)

Entry requirements

Ideally UK entrance requirements are 3 ‘A’ levels at BBB level (300+ points in the UCAS tariff) with a strong science, maths and English background at GCSE level. Other routes in are possible, so check with your chosen university.

Fees

Nursing fees are paid for by the NHS and there is the added bonus of a means tested bursary. The bursary can vary from university to university so it's best to check with any you're considering.

Read our How to choose the right university guide for help with making the choice.