Anyone on here a THEATRE NURSE ? Can you spare me 5 minutes, please ?

[NomDePlume]

So my career-saga goes on... I'm absolutely set on an NHS/medical related career. I have thought about nursing and I'm keen to pursue it further. However, the list of possible disciplines seems endless !

I am keen to find out more about Theatre nursing. I know as a nurse you have a large amount of training and skill at your fingertips, yet whenever I see theatre nurses on the tv (both in dramas and in documentaries) they don't really appear to do much, aside from passing the tool requested by the surgeon. I can't help thinking that this must be a huge misrepresentation of the role. What does it involve, really ? In real life ?

How would I get into it ? Would it be via Adult Nursing and then do a specialist Theatre top up type thing ? Is there a difference between Adult Theatre Nurses and Paedatric Theatre Nurses or is it one discipline ?

Sorry if I sound ignorant, I just don't know enough about this area of nursing.

ah x posts

yes i miss it very much

NDP on the nursing course you do tons of placements which is really cool because you get a chance to see all the different specialities.

I have just finished a placement on a general medical with endocrinology speciality and my next one is an orthopedic trauma ward, very different. My next one will be in the community. I think that the ODP is a good course if you are dead set on working in theatres but if you are not 100% training as an adult nurse is probably going to give you the most options.

What is the difference between the Diploma and the Degree routes ? Is the degree more desirable than the diploma from an employers POV ?

NP, do you think you'll return to nursing in the future, when the girls are older ? It's that you miss it so much.

i think the degree is definitely the way to go these days. if you do your diploma then you would probably go on to your degree later anyway. and i think the diploma is being phased out.

a lot of people think the degree is 'better' because you get more hands-on experience, but thats just a matter of opinion, and in employers eyes the degree is better.

when i trained it was diploma only, and then some of my class went on to do the degree in stages, doing 1 or 2 modules a year, that way they could do the modules in their specific speciality, so i suppose that is an option still

yes i may go back to nursing ndp, but i dont think i would go back to renal HDU/ITU, i would have to do something different.

best of luck whatever you choose!

that should be:

the diploma is 'better' as its more hands-on

oops

I've just emailed the woman in charge of admissions for the DipHE Nursing course (Adult branch)to ask about the phasing out and the flexibility of the admissions criteria. I'll let you know I get on !

If I were to do the Degree then I'd have to commute again, an hour each way. Yuck

There is no difference in amount of time spent on placement doing things in the diploma/degree.

The first 2 years are the same. The degree is less well funded (you need student loans to top up your busary), and in your 3rd year there is a teaching/management element to the course.

I've just had a reply from the Admissions Officer in charge of the Nursing & Miwifery courses, she has told me that the DipHE admission criteria are not flexible (A levels/NVQ/Access course or nothing). She also told me that there are no plans to phase out the Diploma in any case. There is an option at the moment at the Uni I would be applying to as my 1st choice to convert my Diploma to an Unclassified Degree in the 3rd year. There is also the oportunity to 'top up' the diploma to a BSc with the aid of the NHS Trust, but that would be once I'd completed the DipHE.

Thank you all for your help/input thus far

thats great ndp, so you would rather do the diploma? you could go on to do your degree if you felt like it later.

is the teaching hospital within easier reach then?

Yes, the teaching hospital is just behind my house !!!!

I think the Diploma will be the route I take. Have requested an application form for the Access course, so all being well I can start that next Sept (seems like an age away) and then begin my Diploma in earnest the following Sept

Hi just spotted this. im a syudent burse and in theatres at the moment. and loving it lots.. in fact i think i fancy doing it when i qualify. broken down into three areas, anaesthetics, recovery and scrub/ circulating. i love anaesthetics and recovery but not so plussed iwth scrub, but it would make a change from time to time. Im a diploma adult nurse. didnt do degree because i didnt want the debt. the phasing out of the diploma will be a way off yet. As i understand it when all existing staff ar at least diploma trained then they will raise the bar. down to economics too, can the NHS fund all the degree top ups?

lol at syudent burse, chloe

ooopppssss...