Pre-registration Nurse Training - OU

sovilla

Has anyone done this. I'm looking at getting my employer to sponsor me so that I can do it. I have already done a few courses which I hope will go towards it.

Just not sure how it would work in relation to my role. I'm a Stop Smoking Specialist but don't actually work on a Ward or in a clinical setting. Mainly childrens centres and health centres. I don't want to give my job up to do it as I'm on a good wage and really enjoy my work. I just think having this qualification is really going to let me move up the ladder.

Person_one

You'd still have to do the required hours on placement to qualify and register with the NMC. A nursing degree has to be at least 3 years and 4600 hours, 50% of which need to be in clinical practice. It doesn't really seem worth it if you don't actually want to be a nurse!

If you want to stay in your current field would you not be better off studying public health, epidemiology, health promotion or counselling?

sovilla

I guess im just trying to keep my options open. For example if my current role ends then there may be possibility to go and work in Sexual Health, however they are all registered nurses.

Im not saying I wont ever want to work on a ward, just that I really enjoy what im doing now.

Alot of the band 6's in our service are registered nurses so it does bring alot of skills to the job.

Ive spoke to my employer and they are willing to sponsor me so I guess I need to look at clinical placements.

tyler2027

I am a qualified nurse and am currently mentoring an OU student nurse.

Each NHS trust will get allocated a specific number of student spaces for the OU route into nursing. To give you some idea I work in a very large teaching hospital, one of the biggest in the country. The funding this year is allowing just three sponsored places.

The criteria for our hospital is that only care assistants can apply ie healthcare assistants, maternity assistants and theatre assistants - in other words only those involved in direct patient care. However, I know another hospital that will accept applicants in other band 2/3 positions.

The specific criteria that all applicants must have is a minimum level of service to that trust (one year at mine, two years at the other hospital). The applicant must hold qualifications in English language and maths - either gcse or level 2 - ironically higher qualifications than this won't be accepted! They must also have completed their N.V.Q level 2. They must also have an excellent sickness record.

Their unit manager must then be wiling to support them, no support means application won't be accepted. This is because the applicant will be working part time (with subsequent drop in wages, and drop in available hours ..the max a student can work is 22.5 hours per week).

The OU student works part time as a salaried employee. They then do 15 hours per week of student time. This is either at tutorials or on clinical placement (all worked out for you, non negotiable-any clinical setting, any shift pattern) but usually all at the trust you work in though obviously not on your own ward/unit

The student will have to complete 2300 hours of academic hours, and 2300 hours of clinical experience (from their placements). This is the component that allows you to finally register as a nurse with the N.M.C. Due to the part time nature of the course the minimum length of time to complete it will be between four and seven years.

Currently, the only OU nursing options are for adult or mental health qualifications.

As long as your employers are ones that are approved for the training, and there are no restrictions on the staff grade/position who can apply for the training then it really is a great opportunity. Many people can't afford to give up work and do it thru the traditional full time uni route. Whilst an applicant may not be in a direct patient role, it is the dedication to nursing that the panel will be looking for at interview.

However, its bloody hard work! and in order to complete it in the minimum four years you would work, do 15 hours of clinical placements a week and do all the academic stuff in your own time. There are set rules on the amount of hours done and when, so there isn't the option to do more hours each week because it wont be counted.

If you can be passionate enough about nursing (and if your thinking of something like sexual health, health promotion etc then that counts!) then the long hard slog could be worth it. But its not like working and studying for a qualification on the side. The nursing side is full on.

Oh yes, two last things to end this essay with:rotfl:my trust offers OU students the fall back of returning to their full time jobs should they voluntarily leave the course, or if they fail a module..with no penalities. However, other trusts ask for a percentage back of the training costs. The other point is some trusts tie you into working for them on graduating.

Hope this helps you a bit.

Ty
staff nurse
OU graduate

Dunroamin

tyler2027 wrote: »

I am a qualified nurse and am currently mentoring an OU student nurse.

Each NHS trust will get allocated a specific number of student spaces for the OU route into nursing. To give you some idea I work in a very large teaching hospital, one of the biggest in the country. The funding this year is allowing just three sponsored places.

The criteria for our hospital is that only care assistants can apply ie healthcare assistants, maternity assistants and theatre assistants - in other words only those involved in direct patient care. However, I know another hospital that will accept applicants in other band 2/3 positions.

The specific criteria that all applicants must have is a minimum level of service to that trust (one year at mine, two years at the other hospital). The applicant must hold qualifications in english literature and maths - either gcse or level 2 - ironically higher qualifications than this won't be accepted! They must also have completed their N.V.Q level 2. They must also have an excellent sickness record.

Their unit manager must then be wiling to support them, no support means application won't be accepted. This is because the applicant will be working part time (with subsequent drop in wages, and drop in available hours ..the max a student can work is 27.5 hours per week.

The OU student works part time as a salaried employee. They then do 15 hours per week of student time. This is either at tutorials or on clinical placement (all worked out for you, non negotiable-any clinical setting, any shift pattern) but usually all at the trust you work in though obviously not on your own ward/unit

The student will have to complete 2300 hours of academic hours, and 2300 hours of clinical experience (from their placements). This is the component that allows you to finally register as a nurse with the N.M.C. Due to the part time nature of the course the minimum length of time to complete it will be between four and seven years.

Currently, the only OU nursing options are for adult or mental health qualifications.

As long as your employers are ones that are approved for the training, and there are no restrictions on the staff grade/position who can apply for the training then it really is a great opportunity. Many people can't afford to give up work and do it thru the traditional full time uni route. Whilst an applicant may not be in a direct patient role, it is the dedication to nursing that the panel will be looking for at interview.

However, its bloody hard work! and in order to complete it in the minimum four years you would work, do 15 hours of clinical placements a week and do all the academic stuff in your own time. There are set rules on the amount of hours done and when, so there isn't the option to do more hours each week because it wont be counted.

If you can be passionate enough about nursing (and if your thinking of something like sexual health, health promotion etc then that counts!) then the long hard slog could be worth it. But its not like working and studying for a qualification on the side. The nursing side is full on.

Oh yes, two last things to end this essay with:rotfl:my trust offers OU students the fall back of returning to their full time jobs should they voluntarily leave the course, or if they fail a module..with no penalities. However, other trusts ask for a percentage back of the training costs. The other point is some trusts tie you into working for them on graduating.

Hope this helps you a bit.

Ty
staff nurse
OU graduate

Not wanting to take anything away from your very knowledgeable and helpful post but I must correct the fact that it's English Language GCSE that's a requirement, not Literature.:)

tyler2027

Thanks for pointing that out...duly noted and amended.

My poor ole brain is not at its best after a 14hour shift (I want one of those nursing jobs where I sit at the computer on facebook and drink tea all day);)

I am surprised I made only one error in that posting! I think my brain confused language for literature due to flashbacks of the
the sheer amount of reading/essays the OU required

Ty

edited to add. Checked OU website, and they say they want GCSE literature.
As the training is a partnership between OU and a given employer, would recommend any potential applicant finds out exactly what their trust requires.

National_Careers_Service

Hi sovilla

It sounds as if you’ve had some really thorough responses to your question about nursing already and hopefully this gives you a really good idea of what to expect from the actual nurse training if you did decide to take that on.

You do say you haven’t any actual experience of working on wards and in a clinical setting so do you feel getting some experience would help you make up your mind and make a decision one way or the other? If it would then you could try volunteering through your local NHS trust in the first instance.

You’ll find more information on our Adult Nurse Job Profile (on the National Careers Service website) in the Entry Requirements section.

I think it’s easy to become complacent in your job when things are going well and you are enjoying it but the fact is you are really thinking about your future and developing your potential and that’s great to hear. How did you find the courses you’ve already completed; it sounds like they’ve given you a real boost to carry on – is that right would you say?

Making a decision about changing careers isn’t easy at the best of times but as you say you enjoy your job and are on a good salary so how keen are you to eventually change careers? What else do you feel you would need to factor in when it comes to making a decision?


Paresh

sovilla

Thank you so much for all your replies. I'm waiting to speak to the HSC team at the OU to see if the modules I've already done can transfer over. I've done K101 introduction to health and social care, SK123 understanding cancers and am currently doing K311 promoting public health.

I'm currently working as a band 5 at the moment and some people think I'm mad wanting to do more studying but I really want to work up the ladder with the NHS and a nursing degree will really help with that. Before I got my current role 3.5 years ago I was accepted to my local Uni to do adult nursing but got this job and deferred for a year and then loved this job so much so didn't pursue it. I got a promotion in December to band 5 and I currently work with pregnant women so really want to have more clinical skills.

It is going to be hard work but I am determined. I have 5 kids and work full time at the moment as well as studying with the OU so I know I can do it.

tyler2027

Hi again,

I am no expert on APEL.

As your aware, an OU named degree is made up of compulsory modules, and then there are choice modules from a limited range.

The nursing degree pathway differs. There are no choice components, all modules are compulsory. They are:-
KYN101 (basically its k101)!
KYN117
KYN237
KYN238
SKYN277
KYN316
KYN317

So it would be good news to get the introduction to health and social care 60 pointer transferred:T

I can see as a fellow OU student your obviously balancing the work/family/study. I graduated alongside students who had various life challenges to deal with on top of being a student (single parents, duel parents with competing work hours, carers). It is very much the case of sheer bloody determination, time management and planning for everything - but we got there (I was a full time worker, single mother).

So I don't doubt for a moment you have what's necessary to undertake the course.

Just be aware that like I said before, its not like studying a non nursing OU module on top of work/family. Sure the academic side of ETMAS, exams are the same. But on top you have to add on clinical placement documents which are a mare (from both the student and the mentors perspective) !! But nothing that can't be dealt with, just allow say 2-3 hours per week on top for them.

The more info you have about these "challenges" the more you can be prepared at the selection interview....as the key questions test you on what you know about the course, and how you can demonstrate managing the workload

Ty

Person_one

Does the trust you work for offer secondments onto the traditional university course? Would your manager be supportive of that?

sovilla

Person_one wrote: »

Does the trust you work for offer secondments onto the traditional university course? Would your manager be supportive of that?

Nope, I did ask about this. The only way to do that would be to leave my job and go to Uni but then no chance of a job afterwards.