A qualified nurse with no degree.

[ratmack]

I trained 1987 to 1990 so I did not end up with a degree. Looking back on it, this lack of degree has really hampered my career. I have done spinal injuries and orthopaedic ENB courses and the 998 but I am just wondering if there are any universities that recognize my qualification. I want to get into nurse educating especially with the Nurse Associates who are coming in but I seem scuppered from every angle unless I do a degree in something else. Any advice gratefully received.

Some unuversities offer post-experience Masters in nursing, could you explore that as an option?

I'm in Scotland so apologies if it works differently here but I know my nearest campus would accept applications for those who have many years of experience but not necessarily a degree.

IME there are lots of opportunities to do top up qualifications in nursing. Are you working in a University/ teaching hospital? If not, try getting in touch with your nearest one.
You can do a work based masters degree without having done a degree if you are a RN.

Thanks CatCave. I will defo check that out. I have signed up to an Access course but luckily haven't coughed up for it yet. Appreciate you taking the time to reply. You may have saved me 3 years.

Thank you endofthelinefinally. Will peer around and see if I can do anything. I was going to go with Open University and see what I can do.

I originally trained on the P2K 3 yr hdip. I topped up my credits to become a degree by completing a number of modules one of which being a dissertation. I did this while working and it was NHS funded.
I completed a post grad a few yrs ago and a colleague did not have a degree so had to write an assignment to gain a place.

Are you currently working? Because if so many hospitals/employers would help get you topped up to a degree.

I’d go straight to a masters with all your experience and skip completing a degree. A few of my colleagues have done this. If you’ve been out of education for a while the university might ask you to write a short assignment to be accepted onto the programme (unless you’ve published in which case send them your publications). Or you could take a stand-alone module and apel it into a masters / pg dip.

I agree. Please speak to the admissions in the nursing dept of your chosen university before you do anything. With 30 years of experience on the floor, an active PIN (?) and various miscellaneous certificates, I can’t see how you would possibly need to start from scratch from the same place as someone who has never nursed.

I went straight to a masters at a neighbouring hospital in the same trust. I was already working with them on training and clinical governance. It was a work based programme and all the work had to be done in my own time.