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Original poster

A social work or Nursing Degree?

28 replies

MrsMotherHen · 27/08/2018 21:50

I went to uni about 10 years ago through clearing on a C and a D a bloody miracle looking back I didnt do one bit of revision and kind of went of the rails during my alevels then dropped out of uni after 3 months anyway.....

I want to go back to uni but I have two small children 3 and 1 so am going to wait until they have both started nursery/school which should be next year for 3 year old then hopefully sort something out for the youngest she might get the 15 free hrs.

I will be wanting to do an acess to health course at our local collage first to refresh myself a little that lasts 1 year and can get government learner loan to help pay for it.

Heres were I am stuck should I go for a nursing degree or a social work I already work in a nursing home as a carer?

Which would you go for? am currently 28 so wont be going into uni until about 30 the thought fills me with dread am i too old for all this?

OP posts:

DC2018 · 27/08/2018 21:57

Good in you for getting back in to education. I went back to uni and retrained as a psychologist when I was 25. It's difficult getting back in the swing of it so going to college first is a very smart move. Is it health and social care you are going to do at college or just health? My thinking is if you can get some experience in both subjects over this year at college it may help you decide which area you prefer. What do you enjoy and how many job opportunities in each field are there in your area? I'm Scottish and there seem to be far more social worker vacancies than nursing but that's just my observation and it may be different in your area. Also try and speak to a social worker and nurse to get a feel for what the day to day is like. There are also many different avenues in social work like children and families, criminal justice and elderly. Same with nursing, intensive care mental health etc. X

madcatladyforever · 27/08/2018 21:59

Neither, both awful long term. Do a podiatry degree, NHS podiatry gives you weekends and bank holidays off and you work 9-5. I've been both and nursing was a slog with kids.

Lifestyleparent · 27/08/2018 22:00

If you already have a degree you could do a Masters? MA in Social work has funding attached to it at the moment. The eldest on our course was over 50, and being that it was Masters I would say around 70% of the cohort had children

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3 year olds Higher education

Lifestyleparent · 27/08/2018 22:01

It's 2 years by the way

NynaeveSedai · 27/08/2018 22:02

Social work is more family friendly in terms of hours. It's a great career.

Tweakanddashi · 27/08/2018 22:08

I wouldn't go for nursing if you have young kids. Even as a student you get messed around with unpredictable shift changes.

willstarttomorrow · 27/08/2018 22:14

I have done both. I hated nursing but kind of just did it (at a time of a bursary) at 18 although always really wanting to do social work. I have been qualified as a social worker for several years and I now work as an advanced practitioner in child protection which I love (but also get very frustrated by due to management). They are very different careers and I think you need to do some research into both and decide which is best for you and why you want to do them.

I hated nursing mainly due to it not being autonomous and the hierarchical structure within health services. I also found it very task orientated.

As a social worker I have a lot more freedom in the way I work with children and their families, however with this comes increased responsibility. I am accountable and the paperwork is on another level. However I do undertake complex court work and produce reports for court which satisfies my love of analysis and producing well written work. I also work with other agencies which I really enjoy.

As a caution, do not think it is easy to walk into a job. I work for a very large local authority with a good reputation. The universities around here are now churning out students and several cannot find work as a qualified social worker. Even if we have vacancies they are not filled if candidates are not up to standard. Most are working in neighbouring authorities in which I happily turn down agency work for £60 ph. There is a very good reason for this.

AdaColeman · 27/08/2018 22:25

Think about training as an audiologist, you will use your people skills and acquire technical knowledge.
There is always a long waiting period for audiology appointments, so trained staff must be in demand. Not only is the population ageing but the generation who are reaching fifty now spent their youth at ear damaging concerts, so the market will grow, giving good career prospects.
Also it's not a physically demanding career like nursing.

Sandstormbrewing · 27/08/2018 23:20

Social Work on the adults pathway. Your current experience will do you well and it's much less stressful and family friendly than nursing or children social work. And its a 'generic' social work degree, so if you decided you fancied trying your hand at children's social work, you could.

pinkkoala · 27/08/2018 23:26

I am currently a hca and already passed my level 2 in health and social care and am currently working on my level 3, after that is completed i am not sure whether to do nursing or nursing associate. I would also be interested in other ideas if anyone has them, within the nhs, i am currently employed by bupa.
I am 44 and wondering if i am too old for this going back to uni or studying. I have a 13 year old dd and i currently work two 12 hour night shifts. I would need to work while studying.

Original poster

MrsMotherHen · 27/08/2018 23:35

Some great suggestions here Thank you all. I never knew podiatry was a degree thats another option. How are jobs for this this though I would imagine hard to come by?

OP posts:

Sammio · 27/08/2018 23:39

What about training to be a physio or occupational therapist? Again better hours than nursing. If I had my time again I’d potentially train as a social worker though

Original poster

MrsMotherHen · 27/08/2018 23:57

I am leaning towards social work if am honest. I just want to better my self and not be stuck doing something am not happy doing knowing I can achieve more than this.

I am happy with anything I would like to have weekends off that would be a dream but again not a must.

OP posts:

ladybirdsaredotty · 28/08/2018 00:26

I'm trying to make a similar decision (I have a degree already but I'm also 36). It's difficult. Maybe also look at Dietetics or Speech and Language Therapy. I can't train in either of these as I can't travel to the universities that offer the courses, also check job availability in your area for any careers you're considering.

IWantMyHatBack · 28/08/2018 00:31

Social Work.

Whereabouts are you? Availability of positions is hugely variable

Original poster

MrsMotherHen · 28/08/2018 00:32

Am in wirral could commute to Liverpool/Northwales

OP posts:

SandlakeRd · 28/08/2018 00:48

Another vote for occupational therapy. As an OT you can work in either health or social care so you have much more scope in what you can do.

flossietoot · 28/08/2018 00:52

Social work gives you lots of options as there are so many strands to it.

onetimeposter · 28/08/2018 01:00

Do one of: occupational therapy, podiatry, radiography, operating department practitioner, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy.
Do not do nursing, don't do social work. Do one of the others, where you can wander onto the ward as and when, but leave once you've done your assessment. Where you can work 9-5 Monday to Friday.
Nursing with a bursary was something but I think you'd be mad to take out loans for it. No other students are expected to work full time as healthcare assistants and get into debt for the privilege. Or be an ODP, think it's a 2 year course.

Stompythedinosaur · 28/08/2018 07:01

I would not touch social work with a barge pole in the current environment. It is a very hard profession at the moment. I know a number of social workers and they all constantly look like they might have a break down.

I am a mental health nurse, tbh I wouldn't recommend nursing particularly either. It is hugely overworked and underpaid, violence is very high too and funding is cut every year making it very hard to function.

I would recommend looking at being a radiography, ODP, SALT or situation though. They seem to be having a better time.

Stompythedinosaur · 28/08/2018 07:01

Situation = dietition

politicalcorrectnessisgreat · 28/08/2018 07:09

What is OPD?

EdisonLightBulb · 28/08/2018 07:19

DD just qualified as a radiographer and had three job offers waiting months before her final exams. The smaller hospitals seem to have much more standard work patterns with the occasional on call shift overnight. She choose to work in a major trauma city hospital and thrives on mad shift patterns but being young and dependent free, 3X13 hour shirts with four days off or weekends with extra allowances works for her.

BTW she loves it but with an ABB at alevel including a science still found it a tough degree. There were Access educated mature students on her course who found it harder, but most passed and also had jobs lined up.

EdisonLightBulb · 28/08/2018 07:19

ODP operating department practioner I think. theatre Nurse.

AlmaGeddon · 28/08/2018 07:31

You need overnight child care if you do night shifts as a radiographer, I suppose the same in nursing. Would you have that?

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