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Students
Training to be a nurse is exciting, exhilarating and enriching; it can also be exhausting, exasperating and emotionally draining. This area contains the essential ingredients to see you through your nurse education with advice on clinical placements, mentorship, reflective practice, dealing with your first death, university life and study skills.
Latest articles
Rapid response team
The University of Glamorgan won the 2012 Times Higher Education Outstanding Support for Students award for a project addressing the needs and experiences of undergraduate nursing and midwifery students with disabilities and dyslexia.
Roadside experience taught me how to work with a team in an emergency
While driving I saw what looked like two people performing resuscitation at the side of the road. Stopping to help, I introduced myself as a second-year nursing student and off-duty volunteer community first responder (CFR).
Patient's appreciative words taught me to look for the good in others
I remember clearly my placement in a hospice as a first-year nursing student. My thoughts when I started the placement were that it would involve death and a lot of sadness, but this was not what I found.
In this section:
- At universityThis section focuses on your time at university with recommendations for first year student nurses starting their nurse education. It looks at the difference between diplomas and degrees, and there is encouragement if you are thinking of quitting. There are also articles concerning financial advice, inspiration from other student nurses, and learning innovations in the lecture hall.
- Study skillsNursing education covers mathematics and essay-writing skills, as well as teaching how to critically appraise medical research and share personal development in order to make the grade. Study skills form an essential part of your diploma or degree in nursing. Mastering them early in your training will stand you in good stead throughout your student years and beyond.
- Clinical placementsEvery clinical placement will have its highs and lows, but each one will teach you first-hand knowledge about the realities of nursing, as well as skills which cannot be found in a textbook. This section contains practical advice about picking the right placement, dealing with problems whilst there and stories from other student nurses on how their professional development grew in tandem with their knowledge and understanding of patient-centred care.
- MentorshipMentorship enables student nurses to apply their theoretical knowledge and put it into practice in a clinical situation. Mentors will help develop your nursing skills, increase your confidence, offer psychological support through emotionally difficult situations, and ultimately encourage you to flourish as a nurse.
- Reflective practiceReflective practice enables nurses to develop their skills, increase their knowledge, and deal with emotionally challenging situations. Developing your reflective practice early on in your education will pay dividends on every clinical placement you undertake, building a strong foundation for a successful career in nursing.
- Dealing with your first deathThis is something you will remember throughout your career in nursing. Here student nurses share their stories so that their experiences can provide support and comfort to others in the same position.
- From student to qualified nurseThe realisation that you have the skills, confidence and passion to really make a difference in healthcare is exhilarating, yet the transition from student to staff nurse can feel enormous. Here are recommendations to make the transition easier including advice on securing that first job, time management skills for recently qualified nurses and information about the preceptorship framework.
- Nursing Standard's introduction to nurse educationAn annual supplement for student nurses - the essential guide to making the most of your student years.
Courses & Careers
This section offers practical and professional advice at every stage of your nursing career.
The RCN Publishing Company is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Royal College of Nursing, the world's largest organisation for nurses. RCN Publishing produces one weekly, eight monthly and two quarterly nursing publications. Nursing Standard, the flagship journal, is the UK's biggest selling weekly for nursing. It is produced by RCN Publishing Company along with a suite of specialist nursing journals - Cancer Nursing Practice, Mental Health Practice, Learning Disability Practice, Nursing Children and Young People, Nursing Management, Emergency Nurse, Nursing Older People, Nurse Researcher and Primary Health Care. RCN Publishing Company also produce the RCN Bulletin, a major source of up-to-the-minute information for RCN members in all specialities, grades and working environments. With the latest nurse vacancies from trusts nationwide, it has become the most cost-effective nurse recruitment magazine available.