Nursing
Children's nursing is a specialist branch of the nursing profession dedicated to the health and wellbeing of infants, children and young people from birth through to late adolescence. It requires both the technical clinical skills common to all nursing and a set of competencies specific to working with younger patients and their families, including an understanding of child development, family-centred care and the ethical complexities of working with those who cannot always communicate or consent for themselves. Children's nurses work in hospitals, community settings, schools and specialist paediatric centres.
At the University of Plymouth, this three-year full-time programme prepares you for registration as a children's nurse. You will be introduced to the nursing profession and its professional standards, developing an understanding of how evidence is used to inform practice and how contemporary health communication, including through social media, shapes the delivery and perception of healthcare. The programme combines academic study with substantial clinical placement experience, placing you in real healthcare settings where you develop hands-on skills under the supervision of registered professionals.
Plymouth's location in the South West means placements span a range of environments, from city hospitals to rural community services.
Graduates from children's nursing programmes are eligible to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and can pursue careers across the full range of paediatric settings, including acute hospital care, neonatal units, community children's nursing, paediatric oncology and school health. Career progression into advanced clinical roles, nursing management or specialist practice is well supported, and many nurses go on to postgraduate study in child health, specialist clinical areas or nursing education. The demand for children's nurses across the NHS and independent sector is consistent and the profession offers considerable geographic and clinical flexibility.