Nursing Adult

Adult nursing is the branch of nursing concerned with the health and care of adults from the age of eighteen through to older age, across the full range of conditions that people experience across a lifetime. Adult nurses work in hospital wards, intensive care units, community settings, outpatient clinics, and patients' own homes, providing both the technical clinical care and the human compassion that are inseparable from good nursing practice. The ability to assess patients accurately, communicate clearly and sensitively, and work effectively within multidisciplinary teams is central to the role.

At the University of Southampton, a research-intensive university with a strong healthcare reputation, this three-year full-time programme equips you with the skills, knowledge, and professional judgement to provide compassionate, evidence-based care to adults. You will study anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, pathophysiology, and the clinical sciences relevant to adult nursing, alongside the communication, assessment, and care planning skills that professional nursing demands. Substantial time is spent in clinical placements in NHS settings, where you develop your practical skills under the supervision of registered nurses across a range of wards, departments, and specialisms.

The programme leads to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. The typical entry tariff is 136 UCAS points.

Graduates register as adult nurses and work across the NHS and independent healthcare sector. With experience, adult nurses develop into specialist and advanced practitioner roles in areas including critical care, oncology, diabetes, cardiac nursing, and community nursing. Leadership, education, research, and management are longer-term career paths, and many nurses go on to postgraduate study in advanced clinical practice, prescribing, or public health.