Some People!
Chatty Member
I work in HE and have worked in student and academic support settings.
Are you on track to get a good degree?
Assuming you're doing well academically, my best advice would be that you grit your teeth and stick it out, with my full understanding of how tough you're finding it.
You're not obliged to work as a nurse upon qualification. You're not obliged to work on wards if you do want to work as a nurse. You can use your skills and your degree in non-clinical settings if you still want to work in the sector.
But if you don't see the degree through, those options won't even be open to you. A degree is a degree - you can walk into another field/job halfway up the ladder & payscale once you figure out what you want to do instead, just by virtue of having a degree. And you've nearly got this one.
Leaving now with a CertHE isn't terribly helpful for anything other than starting again on another pathway, but that sounds financially tricky for you too.
You could begin your next step with a PG degree in something that feels more like you - most Uni's offer massive discounts to get you to continue your studies with them. Maybe you're exhausted and maybe that's something for the future. But it would be an option.
I really hope this doesn't come off as a bit tough love or anything - your feelings are so valid and as posters above have said, even passionate and longer standing NHS workers and other student nurses of all types agree. Our nursing students are having a really tricky time across the board too.
I think you might as well get the qualification, recognition, and lbr, the potential salary and opportunities out of it now you've put so much blood, sweat, tears, and debt into it.
You should do what feels right to you, what you can handle, and what keeps your options open as best you can.
I presume you've spoken to your Personal Tutor, your department, and whatever student support service is available to have accesssd the support you're already receiving (commendable!)...?
I'll add that most Student Unions have an advice service of some sort who can often help you access further support and help you understand what options you have and look at other scenarios - they have no stake in keeping you enrolled, so you may find their advice a bit more 'real' than the University side. Finally, if you can and if it's available to you, it's definitely worth speaking to whatever kind of careers service your uni has - they will be very used to coaching students through their options and the implications of the various pathways you could consider, what you can do with your qualifications and skills now and in the future, and they'll have an idea of what students just like you have gone on to do.
Very, very best of luck
Are you on track to get a good degree?
Assuming you're doing well academically, my best advice would be that you grit your teeth and stick it out, with my full understanding of how tough you're finding it.
You're not obliged to work as a nurse upon qualification. You're not obliged to work on wards if you do want to work as a nurse. You can use your skills and your degree in non-clinical settings if you still want to work in the sector.
But if you don't see the degree through, those options won't even be open to you. A degree is a degree - you can walk into another field/job halfway up the ladder & payscale once you figure out what you want to do instead, just by virtue of having a degree. And you've nearly got this one.
Leaving now with a CertHE isn't terribly helpful for anything other than starting again on another pathway, but that sounds financially tricky for you too.
You could begin your next step with a PG degree in something that feels more like you - most Uni's offer massive discounts to get you to continue your studies with them. Maybe you're exhausted and maybe that's something for the future. But it would be an option.
I really hope this doesn't come off as a bit tough love or anything - your feelings are so valid and as posters above have said, even passionate and longer standing NHS workers and other student nurses of all types agree. Our nursing students are having a really tricky time across the board too.
I think you might as well get the qualification, recognition, and lbr, the potential salary and opportunities out of it now you've put so much blood, sweat, tears, and debt into it.
You should do what feels right to you, what you can handle, and what keeps your options open as best you can.
I presume you've spoken to your Personal Tutor, your department, and whatever student support service is available to have accesssd the support you're already receiving (commendable!)...?
I'll add that most Student Unions have an advice service of some sort who can often help you access further support and help you understand what options you have and look at other scenarios - they have no stake in keeping you enrolled, so you may find their advice a bit more 'real' than the University side. Finally, if you can and if it's available to you, it's definitely worth speaking to whatever kind of careers service your uni has - they will be very used to coaching students through their options and the implications of the various pathways you could consider, what you can do with your qualifications and skills now and in the future, and they'll have an idea of what students just like you have gone on to do.
Very, very best of luck