Should I go into nursing?
Hi everyone,
I’m currently considering applying for the MSc in nursing and looking for some advice. I see a massive amount of negativity and warnings online right now about going into nursing in the UK—burnout, understaffing, and how tough it is for NQNs. It’s making me seriously question if I should move forward with my plans, so I want to know if it's actually worth it.
Here’s my situation: I’m 23 and heading into my 3rd year at KCL this September studying International Relations. By the time I graduate next year, I’ll have about three years of corporate admin/HR experience. I don’t have any healthcare experience and i know the courses courses require some work experience. I’m thinking maybe I can secure something next summer or complete the hours at the end of the programme which City University allows.
My plan is to apply for a 2-year pre-registration MSc in Child Nursing for September 2027. My long term dream is to open my own clinical aesthetics clinic, and potentially relocate to the Middle East in the future.
Because my end goal is private clinical aesthetics rather than a lifelong NHS career, I’m trying to weigh up the reality of the grind:
- The NHS Reality Check: Is the current state of the wards as soul-destroying for students and NQNs as the internet makes it out to be? If you are doing it purely to get your registration and foundational clinical skills, can you just "grit your teeth and bear it," or does the environment break you regardless?
- Child vs. Adult Nursing for Aesthetics: I really want to do Child Nursing, but I’ve heard mixed things about whether a Paediatric registration restricts you when pivoting to adult aesthetics or trying to get insurance/prescribing power later. Has anyone done Child Nursing and successfully pivoted to aesthetics?
- How intense is the MSc? Coming from a non-science humanities background, is the 2-year MSc timeline manageable and is the content doable?