How to Stand Out From Other Nursing Candidates

No one would ever describe nursing as an easy profession but with the right attitude and a lot of hard work, it can be an incredibly rewarding career path full of new challenges and plenty of variety in terms of your workload. Despite the recent drop in the number of UK based nursing candidates, there’s still stiff competition for every position. So what can you do to ensure that your application for a college place stands out from other candidates? 

Read on to find out:

Nurse Training

In the light of the recent rise in university course fees, applications for nursing courses have actually increased, not least because course fess for successful entrants are paid by the NHS. A nursing course provides an opportunity to work in the midst of a medical environment and gain valuable experience throughout the time spent learning.

 

Think Carefully About Your Course

Before you decide on the course for you think carefully about the type of area you’d like to specialise in. It can be easy to make a mistake without gaining the relevant experience, for example, you may choose midwifery because you like working with babies, but you’ll actually spend most of your time with pregnant couples.

Look for experience or part time work in different environments such as care homes, hospices and doctor’s surgeries. The more time you spend working before you apply, the more weight you’ll give your application.

Why Choose Nursing?

There are lots of reasons to consider becoming a nurse or midwife but earning a huge amount of money is not one of them. Whilst becoming a nurse is just as valid a route to the upper levels of medicine as any other, most people who enter the profession do so because they care. Many applicants have had a great experience with a nurse that’s inspired them, but it’s advisable to leave this out of your application as admissions tutors will want to learn about your suitability, not the suitability of someone who looked after you or a loved one.

Your Key Skills

Many people make the mistake of describing the skills they have in a sort of list format, without demonstrating how they’ve acquired those skills. For example, if you’ve volunteered with dementia patients, worked with sick children, or spent valuable time with a physiotherapist or similar then talk about those experiences and the skills you learned from them.

Quardruple Checking

If you need to hand pen your application then write the whole thing on a separate piece of paper first. That way you can ensure you know exactly what to copy out and you’re far less likely to make a mistake. Use professional business language and if you’re not sure how you’re application reads get a trusted person to take a look at it before you copy it out.

Once you’re happy with everything, start copying it over onto your application form. Take regular breaks to avoid going wrong. Don’t be disheartened if it takes two or three attempts to be accepted on a nursing course and approach filling out applications and going to interviews as valuable practice.

AUTHOR BYLINE

Gary Neil is an avid medical blogger and father of three baby girls. When Gary isn't looking after his four favourite ladies, he is a residential care expert at St Georges Care Agency

- experts in providing personalised, high quality and caring domiciliary and residential care services in Essex and the South of England.