How Many Types of Nursing Courses Are There?

Anyone with an interest in becoming a nurse or getting ahead in their job as a nurse can find a course to help them reach their goal.

With so many job opportunities and types of nursing positions available, there is almost no end to what you can learn and the skills you can build. These short skills courses, coupled with those that help you qualify and keep your registered nurse status, means there are many types of nursing courses to choose from.

This in addition to the fact you can study nursing in colleges, universities and online, can make finding a course a bit more of a challenge. Having more choice in nursing subjects and learning styles, though, also means you can find the exact one to suit your needs.

How to Become a Nurse Courses

If you’re looking to become a registered nurse, you need to complete a nursing degree that’s approved by the Nursing and Midwifery Council. Generally, these are offered in four main areas of nursing.

After which, you can become a registered nurse and start working towards your preferred area of nursing. Or, go on to study an advanced nurse practitioner course.

To study a nursing degree, you will need to meet university entry requirements, which vary between institutions.

Generally, for a nursing degree you need:

• 5 GCSEs grade 4 (C) or above, including Maths, English and often Biology
• If you don’t have English or Maths GCSEs, you can take Functional Skills courses that will give you equivalent qualifications
• At least two A Levels in subjects relevant to nursing
• If you don’t have A Levels or ones that relate to nursing you can take an online access to nursing course which can give you the equivalent of three A Levels

Nursing Speciality Courses

When you become a registered nurse, you can then begin aligning yourself with more specialist roles or provide care to a particular patient demographic.

For instance, nurses who are qualified and trained to care for people with learning disabilities will be a great asset to the team. The same can be said for those who take mental health nursing courses, as they would be able to provide considerate and appropriate care to individuals with differing needs.

This is the same for nurses trained in geriatric care. As the population ages, more nurses will need to know how to effectively care for the elderly. To get yourself prepared, you could take an elderly care nursing course to gain specific knowledge and skills in this area.

Other courses which can help you be better prepared for one of the more challenging aspects of nursing are those focusing on the passing of patients in your care.

End of life care nursing courses will allow you to better deal with this situation. They will teach you how to provide comfort and reassurance to the patient and their family during this time and respect their wishes. As a nurse specialised in this area, you can pass on your skills and knowledge to other team members and help people deal with an incredibly difficult situation.

You can study many nursing skills courses in local colleges and training centres, but there are also a large number of nursing short courses online.

Nursing Leadership Courses

With so many paths in nursing, it can be hard to know which are the best courses to progress your career for nursing. If becoming a specialist nurse isn’t for you, there are plenty of other options to consider.

Many nurses climb the ladder by taking nursing leadership and management courses. These allow you to run teams, departments and make vital decisions that impact patient care. Leading you into roles like a Head Nurse, Patient Care Director or a Chief Nursing Officer among others.

You could also take courses that focus on the legal aspects of health care. After which, you would have detailed knowledge of healthcare legalities like employment law, complaint handling and consent to treatment and research. Enabling you to oversee your team to make sure they are operating effectively and in line with relevant legislation.

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CPD Courses for Nurses

Registered nurses, like many regulated professionals, have to maintain their registration with ongoing education. This is referred to as Continuing Professional Development (CPD), and there is a certain amount you will have to meet to satisfy regulatory needs.

CPD is in addition to any mandatory or statutory nursing training you receive, and you will have to fit it around your work schedule. Luckily, one of the ways you can complete your CPD is through online courses, providing a flexible and convenient way to maintain your registered nursing status.

Any course that is outside of your other training that adds to your skillset as a nurse will count towards your CPD. This again allows you to explore relevant subjects that you enjoy. For instance, if you are interested in nutrition, a course in diet and nutrition would allow you to better understand how a person’s diet can affect their health. The knowledge of which you can pass onto patients in your care to improve their overall wellbeing.

Why Study Nursing Online?

Besides your nursing degree that involves practical training to hone your skills before employment, online nursing courses are an ideal way to gain knowledge and upskill.

By studying your nursing course online, you can reach your goals on your terms. It isn’t an issue if you are learning around your job or other commitments because there are no classes to attend. Just log on when you can and work through the materials at your pace.

This freedom and flexibility make it possible for many people to complete their online courses much faster than they could otherwise. Reducing your time spent as a student and giving you more time in the role you want to be in.

Start Your Online Nursing Course Today

The many types of nursing courses available allow you to get on track to the exact area of nursing you want to be in.

If you’re still not sure, our Course Executives can help you decide. They know which of our courses will help you achieve certain goals, giving you the assurance you need to take the next step in your nursing education.

Find out more by calling them on 0121 392 8288, contacting them online or by viewing our Access to HE Diploma (Nursing) below.