Nursing

Children's nursing is a distinct and highly rewarding branch of nursing concerned with the care of infants, children, and young people from birth through to adolescence. It differs significantly from adult nursing in its approach, because working with children means working with developing physiology and psychology, with families who are often frightened and need support alongside the patient, and with ethical complexities around consent, communication, and the interests of children who may not be able to advocate fully for themselves. Children's nurses need both clinical skill and exceptional interpersonal ability.

At Anglia Ruskin you will develop your clinical skills alongside the specific competencies that child nursing demands: communicating effectively with young patients at different developmental stages, supporting families through illness and hospitalisation, advocating for children's interests, and placing wellbeing at the centre of the care you provide. The programme covers paediatric physiology, pharmacology, child development, family-centred care, safeguarding, and the full range of clinical conditions and care needs encountered in children's nursing. Clinical placements in paediatric settings, including hospitals, community health services, and specialist units, are woven through the programme, providing the direct patient care experience and supervised clinical hours that the Nursing and Midwifery Council requires for registration.

Graduates are eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as children's nurses and to work in paediatric wards, children's A and E departments, neonatal units, community children's nursing teams, and specialist services for children with complex needs. The profession offers varied career development paths, including specialist nursing, advanced practice, play therapy, health visiting, school nursing, and management. Children's nursing is a career that combines clinical expertise with a genuine opportunity to make a difference to children and families at vulnerable moments.