Adult Nurse

Adult nurses work adult patients with different types of health conditions, both acute (short-term) and chronic (long-term). As well as providing care for patients and supporting their treatment and recovery, nurses give support and advice to patients' families and carers. They also promote good health.

Their day-to-day tasks vary depending on the job but could include:

• taking a patient's medical history and using this information to assess the patients condition and devise a care plan
• observing patients' progress and recording any changes
• doing tests such as temperature, blood pressure and respiration rates
• treating patients, for example by giving medication or cleaning and dressing wounds
• reassuring, supporting and advising patients and their families
• liaising with other care professionals to make sure that patients have all the help they need
• supervising healthcare assistants, assistant and associate practitioners and junior nurses.

Full-time nurses in the NHS (National Health Service) work 37.5 hours a week. This may include early mornings, evenings, nights, weekends and bank holidays. Part-time work and flexible hours are often available.

In hospitals, adult nurses may work on wards or in operating theatres, outpatient clinics or accident and emergency units. In the community they could work in GP surgeries, health centres care homes or patients' own homes. Nurses outside the NHS may work in private health centres or hospitals or in workplaces.

Adult nurses work as part of a multi-professional team which may include doctors and other health care staff such as occupational therapists, physiotherapists and radiographers.

Salaries in the NHS range from £21,176 a year for a newly-qualified nurse up to £67,134 for a nurse consultant.

An adult nurse should:

• have excellent people skills and relate well to people from different backgrounds and cultures
• have practical skills
• remain calm in difficult situations
• have empathy with patients and their families and be able to gain their trust
• have the confidence to make decisions and work independently
• be good at teamwork
• be able to prioritise a busy workload.

The NHS is the main employer of adult nurses. There are also opportunities in private medicine, care homes, the armed forces, the prison service and with voluntary organisations.

Adult nurses must hold a degree or diploma recognised by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC), qualifying them in the adult branch of nursing and must register with the NMC before they are allowed to practise.

From September 2013, all entrants to nursing will have to study for a degree. There is more information about becoming a nurse in the Nurse article.

Adult nurses may take further training to allow them to specialise in fields such as cancer care or women's health or to become district nurses, school nurses, practice nurses in GP surgeries, health visitors, midwives or occupational health nurses.

Adult nurses may apply for leadership roles with wider responsibilities, such as sister, charge nurse, modern matron or nurse consultant. There are also opportunities to move into specialist nurse roles, nurse education, research or general NHS management.

May 2010