BSc(Hons) Nursing (Child)

  • Location Carlisle - Fusehill Street, Lancaster
  • Duration 3 year/s
  • Mode of study Full-time
  • Start date September 2012, 2013

Why study with us?

During your nursing studies you will be supported by expert academic and clinical practice staff. This means you are fully prepared for practice as a registered nurse by the end of the course.

We use a wide variety of placement settings to help you gain the appropriate knowledge and skills; different teaching and learning techniques will help you get the most from your studies. Our student support mechanisms are designed to enhance your learning and your personal and professional development. We always know who you are and you won't get lost in the crowd!

What can this course lead to?

This qualification enables you to join the NMC Register so that you can practice as a nurse (child). Career opportunities for qualified nurses are expanding rapidly, and job prospects for our graduate nurses are excellent. This is helped by our partnerships with local NHS trusts and other local, national and international care providers. This qualification gives you access to our range of post-registration courses for your continuing professional needs.

Course Summary

Nursing children is often challenging, usually fun, and always keeps your feet firmly on the ground.

Babies and young children can’t tell you what’s wrong, so you have to develop acute powers of observation and deduction to work it out for yourself. Providing nursing care for children is always done with the child at the centre of the plan, and in collaboration with the parents.

Gaining the trust of the child and parents during what is a stressful time for the family is a crucial skill which you will develop as a student and use as a qualified children’s nurse.

The range of acute and chronic physical conditions and diseases affecting children is very broad. The need for nursing can be short term or ongoing, sometimes throughout their childhood and into their adult lives.

For the child who falls out of a tree and breaks his arm, the visit to accident and emergency department may be the only time he comes in contact with a hospital; but the child with leukaemia may need repeated hospital admissions over several years to receive drug treatment.

Our Child Nursing degree emphasises independent thinking and problem-solving, which will help you to undertake research, and deal with — or lead the management of — change in clinical practice.

The course integrates academic study with a wide range of practice placements. Graduate nurses are expected to apply their enhanced knowledge and be able to influence and manage changes in nursing. An important feature of this programme is the opportunity throughout for shared interdisciplinary and inter-professional learning. Additionally, in year 2 students are able to undertake an elective placement. Many of our students take this opportunity to work in an international context.

Entry requirements

See course specific entry requirements listed below.

More about levels and credit

Selection criteria

For Child Nursing: 240 UCAS tariff points, to include a minimum grade C in a Science or Social Science subject.

Additionally you will need to have GCSE minimum grade C in English Language AND a science or social science subject

Plus evidence of successful recent study at GCSE level or higher within the past five years.

Alternate qualifications accepted for entry include:

  • Access to H.E. Diploma (as long as all subject specific elements are met, ie Level 2 English/science or social science for all fields, and Level 3 science/social science for Adult nursing. Merits must be achieved in all Level 3 subjects). Applicants must additionally provide evidence of successful recent study at GCSE level or higher within the past five years.
  • NVQ 3 in Health and Social Care, PLUS GCSE English Language and science/social science at grade C or above, PLUS a minimum of two years health care experience. Applicants must additionally provide evidence of successful recent study at GCSE level or higher within the past five years.
  • UK Honours degree in any subject, PLUS GCSE science/social science at grade C or above.

Equivalent qualifications other than those listed above may be accepted.

There is intense competition for places on our child nursing degree, so before you apply you should consider carefully if child nursing is right for you. You will need to demonstrate commitment to your children’s nursing in your application, which means that your application will not be considered if you have applied to us for more than one field (or for additional professional courses other than nursing). In your personal statement you should demonstrate your motivation for choosing children’s nursing, and reflect upon any practical experience you have gained.

All places are offered subject to successful interview and numeracy test, as well as CRB and medical clearance and eligibility for a NHS bursary.

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