Nursing

Nursing for children and young people is a specialist branch of the nursing profession that focuses on the healthcare needs of patients from infancy through adolescence and into young adulthood. It recognises that children are not simply small adults; they have distinct physiological and developmental characteristics, different patterns of illness and recovery, and they require care that is adapted to their developmental stage, their family context, and their own emerging ability to participate in decisions about their health. Children's nursing also involves close collaboration with families and carers, who play a central role in the wellbeing of child patients.

At the University of the West of England, Bristol, this three-year, full-time degree leads to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council in the children's field of nursing. You will develop knowledge of child development, paediatric physiology and pharmacology, family-centred care, safeguarding, and the range of clinical conditions that children's nurses commonly encounter. Extensive practice placements across different paediatric settings, including hospital wards, community children's nursing, neonatal care, and specialist services, develop your clinical competence under supervision.

A significant proportion of graduates from this programme are in graduate-level employment or further study within fifteen months of graduating. A typical entry tariff of 120 points reflects the academic standard expected for entry to this professionally regulated programme.

Qualifying as a children's nurse opens a career in one of the most rewarding and demanding branches of nursing. Graduates work across NHS children's wards, paediatric intensive care, neonatal units, community children's nursing, school nursing, and specialist paediatric services. Many pursue postgraduate study to develop advanced practice, specialist clinical expertise, or leadership qualifications in paediatric care.