Making your option choices in school? Get inspired and pick the future you want using our Option Choices tool, tips and guidance!

Nurse - Adult

Care for adults who are sick, injured or disabled and support them and their families when they are anxious and upset.

Also known as: registered nurse (adult)

About skillsGetting in

About the job

Salary

Source: National Careers Service

Weekly

£538

Entry level

£827

Experienced

Monthly

£2,333

Entry level

£3,583

Experienced

Yearly

£28,000

Entry level

£43,000

Experienced

64,200

people are currently employed

High growth

3,500 more jobs in 5 years

These figures refer to this job and similar ones with comparable skills and qualifications. They only apply to Scotland. Source: Oxford Economics

What it's like

You would care for adults who are sick, injured or disabled and support them and their families when they are anxious and upset.

You'd work with doctors to give the patients practical medical care. You'd respond sensitively to the person's needs so they feel safe and looked after.

Your tasks might include:

  • listening to patients and try to understand their worries

  • checking temperatures

  • measuring blood pressure and breathing rates

  • helping doctors to examine patients

  • giving drugs and injections

  • cleaning and dressing wounds

You would use high-tech medical equipment and carry out procedures like blood transfusions. You might also do routine checks and procedures with healthy people.

You could work in a hospital or in the community at a GP's surgery, health centre or clinic. Most jobs are in the National Health Service (NHS) though you could also work at private hospitals or nursing homes, schools, colleges or for the prison service, the Armed Forces or in industry.

You could specialise in an area such as accident and emergency, cardiac rehabilitation, outpatients, neonatal nursing, and operating theatre work.

You need to be able to help any person without judgement and respect patient confidentiality.

You can see more about this role in the National Health Service on the Adult nurse page on the NHS Scotland Careers website. See the Learning and development section for information about career structures, progression and rates of pay.

Hours

You would usually work 37.5 hours a week, which can include evenings, weekends, night shifts and bank holidays. Many hospitals offer flexible hours or part-time work. Extra hours may also be available.

Environment

You could work in a variety of locations including hospital wards, hospices, schools and private hospitals, and in the community visiting patients at home.

Explore more information about this job

Here are some useful links to learn more about this career:

Like the sound of this career?

Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Nurse - Adult'

Select qualification level(s)

Show me courses

Other careers that you might like

  • Nurse - Child
  • District nurse
  • Health visitor
  • Nurse - Learning Disability
  • Nurse - Mental Health
  • Practice nurse
Browse all job profiles

Related industries

Many jobs can be done in lots of different industries. We've highlighted the ones we think are most important for this job.

  • Life sciences
  • Healthcare
View all industries

Top skills

Skills are things you're good at. Whether you know what yours are or not, everyone has them!

It's useful to learn which ones are important in a job so you know the areas you need to brush up on. It can also help you work out if you're suited to a career.

Here are some of the skills you'll need to do this job:

  • taking responsibility
  • making decisions
  • developing a plan
  • social conscience
  • empathising
  • researching
  • verbal communication
  • listening
  • supporting
  • resilience

Your skills are important

Our unique skillsets are what make us stand out from the crowd. Learn about each skill in depth and discover what employers look for in your applications and interviews.

Discover skills

Getting in

Explore the sections shown for more information about getting into this career.

You might have qualifications which are not shown here but will allow you access to a course. You can compare your qualifications by looking at their SCQF Level. For more information about this, check out the SCQF website.

Always contact the college, university or training provider to check exactly what you'll need.

Colleges and universities will list subjects you'll need for entry to a course. Some useful subjects include:

  • Biology

  • Care

  • Chemistry

  • Childcare and Development

  • Human Biology

  • Skills for Work: Health and Social Care

  • Foundation Apprenticeship: Social Services and Healthcare

You can get a head start in this career by doing a Foundation Apprenticeship in S5 and S6.

You'll get an SCQF level 6 qualification which is the same level as a Higher. You'll also learn new skills and gain valuable experience in a work environment.

Discover what's on offer at your school on  Apprenticeships.scot.

Nursing degree (SCQF 9/10).

To enter a nursing degree (SCQF 9/10) requires a minimum of three Highers at C and Nationals or equivalent education or work-based qualifications such as a Scottish Vocational Qualification in Healthcare Support (SVQ level 2/3).

It is possible to enter a shortened graduate nursing programme with a relevant degree.

An Access to Nursing course may also give entry but check with the establishment that they accept this prior to applying.

Qualifications that show you have an understanding of health and wellbeing such as:

  • Health and Social Care (SCQF Level 6)

  • SQA Wellbeing Award (SCQF Level 3-5)

Once qualified you will need to:

Find the right course for you

Browse courses in Scotland related to 'Nurse - Adult'

View all courses

Search jobs and apprenticeships

View work opportunities