I'm currently on Maternity Leave. I'm due in Dec to have I want to start thinking about a change of career whilst I'm off work and thinking about becoming a diabetic children’s nurse or baby/children's nurse. Possibly midwifery?!

I don't have GCSEs in Maths or English and thinking of doing them at college next September.

Me and my partner are thinking about doing an OU course. Partner finishing his Engineering and me doing Level 1 in Social Science. The reason for the Social Science was I did it when I was in college as part of one of my BTEC National in Children's Care, Learning & Development module. I got an overall PPP due to being diagnosed with Type One Diabetes at the end of my course in March 2009 so I had to rush the end of the course.

I currently work well I'm employed as a Nursery Practitioner in a Private Day Nursery and worked in the Pre-School room which I loved but I would like a different career regarding children.

Just wondering how I get about (after my GCSE course finishes) starting courses etc and what advice do I need. I want to go back part time mon-wed days at work when LO is older and its a must due to money etc.

The things I'm worrying about is if I do a university course part time the night shift placements that are compulsory so I've heard. I don't drive so getting there etc is going to be hard!

Also money and fees? Do I get help etc with having a child and working etc?

Any advice and tips will be much appreciated thanks

hey ive just left my nursing training.. please feel free to ask me any questions, as from september next year the next intake... its degree only.. bursery that you get is means tested when doing the course im pretty sure this is nation wide your only allowed to do 15 hours a week as you are full time either in uni or placement

to do diabetic nursing you would still need to do the 3 year (4 -5 years on OU) then specialize... childrens nursing / peadatric nursing is the same 3 years (4-5 years OU) midwifery again the same

If you unsure what to choose, perhaps go for the nursing,, then practice for 6 months.. then do the top up to midwifery, 18 month course??

Night shifts are comp. so are weekend you have to do a min of 8 nights throughout the 3 years and 1 in 4 weekends and

remember the shifts are usually 12.5 hours long which in return is only 13 shifts a month, but with that you need to do about 4 hours of reading per lecture you have (i would say a lot more!) and then research an reasoning why you do what you do...


Not to put you off!
Nursing is a fantastic career and i wish i could have continued but it just wasnt finacially viable for myself.

Top up to Midwifery 18 month course does not exsist anymore - as far as im aware.


It was scrapped - so both nursing and midwifery are 3 years...so its best to choose either or!

:-)

I was training to be a nurse and was only about to say what previous poster did. Altho I will add some unis will let u do a ppu (product and progression unit) which is equivalent to English and maths gcse. It's only one day over a couple months and you do a maths exam and have to submit a diary of what your experiences of the course have been. They do give you lessons on these and the ppu unit isn't free usually about £60 but it will get you what's needed to get into uni.

Also just to add top up midwifery is still about, I've friends starting it in sept n march for the next intakes.

was gonna say the same its still there my friends on it for next year too

I trained as a nurse, although i no longer work as one, anyway, as far as i am aware its degree only now (which is what i did), My uni expected 3 A levels B grade and above, but all uni's have different ideas of what is wanted, and its a degree and its hard work. So make sure you are able to cope with the academic nature first, because even if you will make a fantastic nurse and the practical side would be easy for you, unless you can cope with the acedemic side there isnt much point, if you havent got GCSEs it could be very difficult to get up to that ability, although if you sure thats what you want then im sure you could.

Im not sure if access to nursing is still avaliable, that may be your best option if you dont have the level of education required, but it may be very difficult to get in.

You may get a bursery, i wasnt means tested for me, but think thats because i was in wales, its not a huge amunt of money though.

You will be expected to work shifts, full time 40 hour weeks. If you cant commit to that right now (with a new baby on the way) I would wait until you can. At least my uni wouldnt have made an exception, you are expected to work that, and everyone else does.

There was a family friendly course at my uni, but dont think its avalaible anymore.

Not driving would be a problem, although possible, but community placements would be difficult and even shift work difficult.

Again my uni didnt help with childcare, you were expected to be working 40 hour weeks, not missing any uni time (allowed 7 sick days in 3 years), infact i doubt they would have taken someone on with a small baby, everyone was either older parents or not parenrts.

If you really want it, then its possible, i would spend some time reseraching local uni's and seeing what they expect.

Mine expected you to have worked in healthcare too.

Good luck hun.

sorry to butt in your thread but ive always wanted 2 do a midwifery couse anyone with any info i'd be happy of some help 2 you can pm me if you prefer

Personally I think it's best to train as a nurse and then do an add on to midwifery. I'm going on the basis that when I done my midwifery placement when patients asked simple nursing questions the midwives didn't know and edged around the question. At least with nursing you get that extra knowledge first which makes it that bit easier and if you decide midwifery isn't for you you have something to fall back on. I wanted to be a midwife for years but hated it, after my placement I decided it was something I really didn't want to do. Also during the nursing course you do a maternity placement which can help you chose if you wanted to go on and do the midwifery course. Altho I must add you can only do the midwifery add on if you've done the adult:general nursing course and not paediatrics or mental health.