Introduction 1
About This Book 1
Conventions Used in This Book 2
What You're Not to Read 2
Foolish Assumptions 2
How This Book is Organised 3
Part I: Getting Started with a Career in Nursing 4
Part II: Focusing on Your Personal Development 4
Part III: Preparing to Apply 4
Part IV: Perfecting Your Application 4
Part V: Attending Selection Days And Beyond 5
Part VI: The Part of Tens 5
Icons Used in This Book 5
Where to Go from Here 6
Part I: Getting Started with a Career in Nursing 7
Chapter 1: Getting to Know Nursing 9
Defining the Nursing Profession 9
Understanding the Role of the Nursing and Midwifery Council 12
Outlining the Role of the Nurse 14
Examining Who Goes into Nursing 16
Seeing Where Nurses Work 17
The National Health Service 18
The independent sector 19
The armed forces 20
Voluntary services 20
Nursing overseas 21
Training to Become a Nurse 21
Chapter 2: Exploring Your Options: Nursing Fields 25
Looking at the Nursing Field Ratios 25
Adult Nursing 26
Recognising the scope of adult nursing 26
Understanding the role of the adult nurse 27
Seeing where adult nurses work 28
Looking at key tasks 29
Children's Nursing 29
Understanding the role of the children's nurse 30
Seeing where children's nurses work 31
Looking at key tasks 32
Mental Health Nursing 32
Defining mental health 32
Understanding the role of the mental health nurse 34
Seeing where mental health nurses work 34
Looking at key tasks 35
Learning Disabilities Nursing 36
Defining learning disabilities 36
Understanding the role of the learning disabilities nurse 37
Seeing where learning disabilities nurses work 38
Looking at key tasks 38
Separating Nursing Fields from Other Professions 39
Midwifery versus children's nursing 39
Social work versus learning disabilities nursing 40
Care work versus nursing 41
Part II: Focusing on Your Personal Development 43
Chapter 3: Weighing Academic Qualifications 45
Charting Your Academic Path 46
Still at school 46
Applicants with life experience 47
Why Currency Counts: Assessing Your Study Skills 48
Back to Basics: GCSEs 50
Getting the Points 51
Aiming for A-levels (Advanced General Certificate of Education) 52
Choosing your subjects 53
Getting the grades 54
Getting Down to Business with BTECs 55
Choosing your subjects 55
Getting the grades 56
Scottish Qualifications 56
Talking About Access 57
Choosing your subjects 58
Getting the grades 58
Is Access suitable for me? 59
Certificates, Foundation and University Degrees 60
Tasting the Fruit of Experience: APEL 62
Using Foreign Qualifications 63
Chapter 4: Professional Requirements: How Do You Rate? 65
Reviewing Your Fitness to Practise 66
Monitoring Your Professional Behaviour 67
'Ello, 'Ello: Examining Your Criminal Record 67
Infractions you can live with 69
Convictions incompatible with nursing 69
Taking Health and Wellbeing into Consideration 70
Health issues and adjustments 71
Situations that present a challenge 72
Dealing with Disability 72
Making every effort 73
When adjustments just can't be made 74
Chapter 5: Proving Your People Skills 77
Understanding Nursing Behaviours and Values 77
Health boards 78
NMC 79
Considering Caring Characteristics 79
Assessing your attitude 79
Exploring your behaviour 80
Showing Compassion 81
Proving Your Commitment 82
Communicating Effectively 84
Email etiquette 85
Telephone manner 86
Body language 87
Chapter 6: Gaining Care Experience 89
Understanding the Role of Care Experience 89
Putting a Plan Together 90
Working within the NHS 92
Weighing up the pros and cons 92
Getting your foot in the door 93
Turning to the Private Sector 96
Weighing up the pros and cons 96
Getting your foot in the door 97
Volunteering for a Charity 99
Weighing up the pros and cons 99
Getting your foot in the door 100
Building Personal Experiences 101
Part III: Preparing to Apply 103
Chapter 7: Understanding the Nursing Programme 105
Overviewing the Programme 105
Understanding the NMC requirements 106
Surveying the academic teaching methods 108
Considering patterns of work 109
Focusing on Academic Study 112
Seeing the breadth of subjects covered 112
Taking academic assessments 113
Getting to Grips with Clinical Study 114
Covering the Essential Skills Clusters 114
Assessing you in practice 115
Understanding the Roles of Staff Members 116
The academic tutor 116
The personal tutor 116
The nurse mentor 117
Chapter 8: Exploring Universities 119
Probing Programme Particulars 120
Checking that the university offers the right course 120
Looking at length of study 120
Noting start and finish dates 122
Tallying study hours 123
Working in clinical practice 124
Checking out the day-to-day structure 125
Looking at Location 125
Being close to home, or far away? 125
Finding the type of campus to suit you 126
Getting there and back again 126
Considering Bed and Board 127
Exploring Extra-Curricular Activities 128
Scoping social activities 128
Overseas opportunities 129
Perusing Student Information Websites 129
The National Student Survey (NSS) 130
Key information sets on Unistats 130
Discussion boards and forums 131
Considering the Competition 131
Knowing what you're up against 132
Choosing a geographical area 133
Chapter 9: Making the Most of Open Days and Visits 135
Planning Prior to Your Visit 136
On the Day: Meeting Staff and Students 137
Knowing who's who 137
Making a good impression 139
Evaluating the University 140
Taking Advantage of Other Visits and Tours 141
Summer schools and taster courses 141
Campus tours 141
Applicant visit days 142
Chapter 10: Money Matters 143
Tallying the Costs of Your Education 143
Academic fees 144
The cost of applying to university 145
Clinical expenses 146
Housing considerations 148
Living expenses 150
Getting Financial Support 151
Help with entry qualification costs 151
Grants, loans and bursaries 152
Scholarships 155
Tax allowances 156
Hardship funds 156
Part IV: Perfecting Your Application 159
Chapter 11: Following the UCAS Process 161
Understanding UCAS 161
Mapping Out the Application Process 162
When to apply: The dates you need to know 163
How to apply: Organising your application 164
Managing Rejections 165
Using UCAS Extra: Having the extra choice 165
Going into clearing: Seeking those unfilled places 166
Receiving Offers 167
Chapter 12: Writing Your Personal Statement 169
Understanding the Rules 170
Looking at What You Include 171
Selecting information 171
Sharing your own ideas only 172
Being truthful 172
Using experiences to show key skills and qualities 173
Thinking about How You Write 175
Keeping the audience in mind 176
Structuring carefully 176
Making the most of every word 177
Proofreading to weed out mistakes 178
Avoiding Pitfalls 179
Chapter 13: Finding Solid References 181
Deciding Who to Ask For a Reference 181
Your academic tutor 182
Your employer 183
Your care colleague 184
Your family, friends and acquaintances 185
Looking at the Content of a Reference 185
Taking Responsibility for the References 186
Keeping an eye on deadlines 187
Discussing references with referees 187
Part V: Attending Selection Days . . .And Beyond 189
Chapter 14: Attending the Selection Day 191
Understanding the Basics of Selection Days 192
Running through a typical day 192
Identifying the selection team 193
Scoring candidates 194
Getting Ready for Selection Days 195
Confirming your attendance 195
Collecting documents and paperwork 196
Planning your outfit 197
Making travel arrangements 198
Keeping contact details current 199
Coping on the Day 199
Weighing up the competition 199
Controlling the signals you send out 200
Heading home at the end of the day 202
Chapter 15: Preparing for Assessments 203
Finding Out About Tests 204
Exploring Numeracy Tests 205
What to expect 205
How to prepare 206
Getting to Grips with Literacy Tests 207
What to expect 207
How to prepare 209
Doing Practical Assessments 209
What to expect 209
How to prepare 210
Chapter 16: Excelling in the Interview 213
Following the Three Stages of the Interview 214
Warming up 214
Questions and answers 215
Winding down 215
Getting Smart about Interview Etiquette 216
Getting Experience of Interviews 217
Rehearsing Your Answers 218
Understanding the types of question 219
Looking at typical questions 221
Questioning the Selectors 224
Chapter 17: Getting Your Results and Making Decisions 227
Handling Successful Offers 228
Looking at the offers 228
Making your decision 228
Considering adjustment 230
Asking for a deferral 231
Changing your mind 233
Waiting for the course to start 233
Dealing with Disappointment 234
Rooting out the reason for the rejection 235
Looking at your options 236
Re-applying 237
Part VI: The Part of Tens 239
Chapter 18: Ten Tips for a Successful Application 241
Plan Your Time Early 241
Develop a Research Strategy 241
Talk to Other Candidates 242
Gain Expert Advice 242
Create a Good Impression 243
Remain Motivated 243
Gain Interview Experience 243
Keep in Touch 243
Get Some Life Experience 244
Put Your Documents in Order 244
Chapter 19: Ten Common Pitfalls to Navigate 245
Ignoring Entry Criteria 245
Leaving Errors in Your Application Form 246
Applying to Multiple Nursing Fields 247
Failing to Keep Contact Details Up-to-date 247
Being Complacent about the Competition 248
Confusing Your Experiences 248
Ignoring Instructions and Requests 249
Being Too Creative 249
Demonstrating Poor Communication and Social Skills 249
Lacking Integrity 250
Index 251
