How can I become a nurse?

[Nonononon]

Hi. I'll try to keep this short and to the point.

Im fed up with my job (lots of reasons). Unsure if I'm going back anyway due to covid/childcare.
Have been a support worker for the past 10 years and im 34 now.
All qualifications I have are NVQs up to level 3 and some entry level (maths and English, which were needed to start my NVQ L3) lots of health/care experience but i guess that doesn't mean anything.
Fed up and want more for myself and my daughter.
I don't care how long it takes, I can chip away at it over time if I apply myself. I'm smart, but I just didn't have a good start in life and it took a lot to get to where I am now. But now I want more and I know I can achieve more too.

I've looked it up and I need 4-5 GCSE and A levels to even be considered for a nursing degree. But where and how do I do this?
Can I do it combined? so I get all 4-5 GCSE over a 12-18 month period? Or will i have to do one at a time?

I'm confused but the seed has been planted now and I just don't feel satisfied with life as it is, and I know education is the way out.

I would appreciate any advice.

Thank you.

Look into access courses. They are the equivalent of 3 a-levels. Usually done over 1 year.
My friend did a foundation year instead of alevels/access at uni and then went on to do a midwifery degree.

Hi op,

I don't believe you need to do them in a certain period of time, if you don't have a C in maths and English I think they're free, which is a good place to start and then for a levels in most cases local colleges do 'access to nursing' or 'access to health sciences' type courses which would be be instead of a levels and they take a year. :) good luck op!

I would ask at your local university what requirements you need and go from there. As an NVQ level 3 is equivalent for 2 Alevels.
You may need to do an access course which are normally one year x

Yep you need an access course. They are designed for people like you.

Oh wow thank you all!
Thats a relief I'll look into that and have a ring around tomorrow, thanks so much. An access course would be so much easier.
I had a quick look at one online and I realised, all the key points which I'd be learning I know a lot about anyway, through my job, asking professionals questions nosy and just generally being a bit of a geek in this area. So I'm hopeful it won't be too hard and it is something I'll be able to do!

Metallicalover are they really?? I never knew that.

Also for the access course it said I need entry level qualifications and I already have those for maths and English (not sure if they'll be too old now, I think I did them 8 years ago so maybe? But I can always do them again)

Omg they are! My NVQs are equivalent to A levels! Ha!

I was told they were nothing much important and just made me a better candidate for a care worker position (although exact same wage and responsibility as a new starter without NVQs ) I've been had somewhere along the line..

What about a nursing apprenticeship? You are employed and seconded to complete the training.

Loads of people on my course just did a year's access course prior to their degree.
I left nursing it was way too knackering and the hours are horrific. I retrained in podiatry which is 9-5 with every weekend and bank holidays and christmas off and the NHS work is very nteresting, it's not nail cutting it's wound care, diabetes, biomechanics.
If I was training again with kids I'd do podiatry.

I would do access course if I were you, they will sort the GCSE requirement as well if you don’t meet it at the moment, my friends who did it say it really helped them prepare for university assignment writing wise. Support work is wonderful preparation for nursing.

My friend started this last year she did the access course at college first which she said set her up ready for uni.

Lovely thank you.

madcatlady thanks for that I'll look into it. I will need something child friendly to start with I suppose as I'm a single parent, but then once I've done that, I could always look to retrain when dd is older (she's 5 now so I have at least 10-11 years of worrying about childcare so that sounds perfect!)
I see myself being a community nurse if there is such a thing these days? I assumed now nurses would work in a hospital setting and out in the community so not solely community?
Anyway, I have a lot to learn and get my head around but like I said, the seed has been planted and I know if I work hard with a goal in mind I'll get there eventually.
It's just the case of taking it step by step right?

Lots of ways into nursing now which are more child friendly. There is the nursing apprenticeship, 4 years study paid as band 3 through your trust. Nursing associate, 2 year course again paid at band 3 through your trust, qualify as a band 4 and once you have a years experience you can top up to a band 5 in another year. Both are applied for through nhs jobs. Also open university, 4 years, some trusts will second you or you would have to self fund (student finance) good luck. Been nursing 10 years myself and love it

Do you know what qualifications you need for an apprenticeship addicted ?
Could I do an access course then try for an apprenticeship?

@Nonononon im not sure on the apprenticeship entry requirements but the associate im sure is just GCSE maths and english and relevent experience. Personally I would do the associate then top up as if you do the access then the apprenticeship it would take a year longer (1 year access, 4 years apprenticeship) I think it also depends on the trust to what the requirements are. Speak with the organisational learning department in your trust they would be able to advise