Adult nurses work within a range of services and in a variety of locations. Services include surgery, general medicine, elderly, palliative care, emergency care, intensive care, outpatients. A few examples of locations include acute hospitals, community hospitals, education settings, homes and health centres.
I would like to become a nurse
Practising as a nurse requires a degree from a recognised institution and registration to practice from the Nursing and Midwifery Council. A variety of undergraduate programmes are available at the Robert Gordon University.
The local colleges also offer entry courses and these can be viewed at NESCOL or Moray College.
There is a supported entry route for NHS Grampian Health Care Support Workers which is called the HNC Care and Administrative Practice. This course is fully funded and recruitment takes place annually in February. Students will be expected to achieve the same learning outcomes as the first year nursing students do at RGU. On successful completion of the HNC CAP programme staff will be allowed direct entry to Year 2 of the Pre-registration Nurse Education Programme at Robert Gordon University. For an information pack or informal chat please email gram.practiceeducation@nhs.scot.
All nurses working in the UK must be registered with the Nursing & Midwifery Council. Before registration, they must have successfully completed a nursing programme of education that is approved by the NMC. They must also meet the NMC requirements of good health and good character.
In the UK, nursing education and training programmes are only run at NMC approved educational institutions (AEIs) based in health and social care settings. Courses usually take a minimum of three years, although entry routes are available which take into account your previous learning. Half of the course is based in clinical practice with direct contact with patients and families. This could take place in the home, community, hospitals and independent and voluntary sector organisations.
You can find details about the training programmes and the work nurses do from NHS Careers. For a list of institutions approved by the NMC to provide pre-registration nursing programmes please search the approved programmes.
Students normally apply to training programmes through the Universities and College Admissions Service (UCAS).
Some students may have previous relevant learning, including formal certified learning such as an access course or another degree, or practice-based learning that was part of another course or gained through paid or voluntary work. Evidence of this learning may contribute to meeting some programme requirements, assessed through the AEI’s own APL process. Up to a maximum of 50 percent of the programme can be accredited in this way.
If you are in S5/S6 and would like to spend some time with the nursing teams for work experience please use the NHS Grampian Work Experience website.
I am currently training to be a nurse
Nurses undertaking their course with Robert Gordon University will have their placements within Grampian and other health boards such as Orkney.
Whilst at university and in clinical practice there are a number of support mechanisms available to ensure you have a positive experience and develop your learning. These support mechanisms include being assigned a mentor.
Once qualified
Further study and post graduate courses are available at RGU and range from experiential learning to post graduate programmes.
I am a qualified nurse and considering a move to Grampian
We are please to hear you are interested in joining one of our teams. Vacancies are advertised on the NHS Grampian Recruitment website and updated weekly.
We also have a Nurse Bank service.
I am a qualified nurse but it’s been some years since I practised. Am I able to return to work?
It may be possible for qualified nurses to return to practice following an assessment of their clinical competencies.
NHS Grampian and Robert Gordon University have developed a course for nurses whose registration has lapsed to help them return to practice. The short, fully funded course prepares staff for re-joining the NMC register and enables nurses to return to their field of practice in a safe and confident manner. See our Return to Practice page for more details.
Flying Start
Flying Start NHS® is a national development programme for newly qualified nurses, midwives and allied health professionals. It aims to support your learning and build your confidence during your first year of practice in NHS Scotland. It will do this by assisting you to navigate to the Foundation gateway of the NHS Knowledge and Skills Framework 'Agenda for Change'. After completing Flying Start NHS® newly qualified practitioners would be expected to participate in ongoing Continuing Professional Development.
Benefits for newly qualified practitioners include:- Offers a learner-directed solution to finding information and making sense of a complex environment
- Guides and supports the transition from student to qualified practitioner
- Links to the NHS KSF development review cycle
- Supports the development of skills for lifelong learning and CPD
- Offers practical advice on how to manage portfolios and PDPs within NHS Scotland
- Gives access to up to date material, useful websites and national policy and developments
- Decreases feelings of isolation through the on-line forum, Flying Start Community and Ask a Mentor functions
- Draws and builds on the learning skills developed as pre-registration or undergraduate student
- Increased understanding of the role of other health and social care professionals and partners
Newly Qualified Practitioner Development Programme
The NQP Development Programme is an exciting opportunity for you and we are keen to get you off to a good start in your career.
The aim of the programme is to provide a broad base of experience in 2 clinical areas within NHS Grampian over a two-year period. The programme is mandatory to all newly qualified adult nurses in NHS Grampian. This structured progression route will allow you to consolidate your learning and develop your knowledge, skills and competence as a registered practitioner.
You will receive support from a variety of sources including your manager and mentor in your clinical area, Professional and Practise Development Unit staff and colleagues. We believe that the preparation given to you at this stage of your career reaps benefits at every stage thereafter. Throughout the programme you will achieve generic competencies, enabling you to identify the progress you are making. Your mentor and other colleagues in each placement alongside the Flying Start programme will support and guide you in your development.
Effective Practitioner is a national initiative providing work based learning resources and support for nurses, midwives and allied health professionals in Scotland. It assists Practitioners and Senior Practitioners to deliver the 2020 vision and meet the Quality Ambitions of Person Centred, Safe and Effective Care. The Effective Practitioner website provides the online foundation for wider work-based support.