PGDip Adult nursing

[Retraintoday]

Hello,

I'm thinking about studying on a PGDip in nursing.

(Previous BSc degree in radiography)

I have 2 young children (1 & 2½)

How feasible will the course be for me? The university is 50 mins drive and they have placements within 15 mins of my home.

How many days a week will we be expected to be at university? How many hours per week will we be expected to be on placement?

Should I delay studying until my children are in school?

What is the level of study like compared to a BSc? Is it much more essay work Involved?

Am I totally mad? Will it be very tough on my relationship?

So many questions, I would love to pick the brains of someone who has done a nursing degree or PGdip.

Bump

Don’t do it. Swapping radiography shifts for nursing? You’d be batshit. Nursing is on its knees at the moment with no signs of improvement. It’d be out of the frying pan, into the fire. I’m an RN and I won’t be revalidating my registration next month because it has got so bad. I’m far from alone, nurses are leaving the profession in droves.

If you really do want to go into it, despite all the realities, your best bet is to approach the universities offering the courses. They all vary slightly, so they'll be best placed to tell you how it all works at their institution. Attend open days and look at course specs online, you can also email the admissions tutor for the course with specific questions.

Hello I'm involved in delivering PG pre reg health/nursing courses in HE

If it's an accelerated (2 year) programme you tend to be in university 3-4 days a week and when in clinical placements it's a 37.5 hour week including unsocial hours, nights weekends - with 7am starts.

Holidays tend to be only around 6-8 weeks a year in total and don't usually follow the traditional academic year

It might be easier to do the programme when children are younger as child care is easier - once at school you have to worry about wrap around childcare combined with school and holidays can be a nightmare. They also potentially go to bed earlier so more evening study time

The jump to level 7 (PG) study is often wildly underestimated by students it IS a jump and involves more critical writing using robust evidence based resources. However, it's a skill that can be learned and most universities offer central support classes to develop these skills - grab these support opportunities early on if you can.

It can be tough on relationships as it's such an intense programme- you would need a partner to be absolutely on board and be really honest about what you need from them.

But do go for it - I see plenty of students just like you who have done brilliantly with similar profiles.

Thank you both for your replies.

TwinsTrollsandHunz shifts will be fairly similar, but I think it would give me more options for the future?

I would like a more clinical role and to be more actively involved in patients treatment and progression of treatment.

I think practice nursing would suit me quite well.

damekindness That's a good point about it being easier while they are at nursery. Maybe next year when one of them is getting free childcare (but equally I probably won't be entitled to that of in studying would I )

I'd suggest going to an open day, or just email admissions if you've missed it for this year, as there will be variations. I did a PGDip, and when we were in uni it was only twice a week. Lots of self-directed study.

We did roughly a term in uni, a term of placements. Finished up with almost 6 months solid placements (3 placements, one week off) - we had two assignments due a fortnight apart during the second of those placements I think, and so that period was hard work, but apart from that our assignments and placements didn't overlap.

I found it all very doable, but my kids were much older. There were people on my course with little ones, and people who travelled long distances, so it definitely can be done.

Feel free to pm me if you like. I love my job despite all the crap, and am just starting the (rather daunting) revalidation process.