As a newly qualified nurse, you’ll have just completed your studies, achieved your nursing qualifications and got an approved degree in nursing. Congratulations! You’ve done a lot of hard work to get this far.
You’ll need to register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) to get your registered pin, which will allow you to start searching for newly qualified nurse jobs. You’ll be joining close to 693,000 registered UK nurses in a challenging but rewarding profession. So what’s next?
Read our careers guide to learn about your job options when getting started as a newly qualified nurse, as well as what to expect as you progress. We cover:
- Newly qualified nurse job options
- Responsibilities of newly qualified nurses
- How much newly qualified nurses earn
- How long are you a newly qualified nurse?
- Nursing career paths
- Advice from real-life nurses on managing stress
- Finding newly qualified nurse jobs through our website
what type of work can newly qualified nurses do?
Once you've registered with the NMC and completed your preceptorship, you will be able to either work substantively with one employer or work bank/ agency with one or more employers to fit around your lifestyle and commitments. You are required to have completed your preceptorship prior to starting agency work, so you are fully comfortable and confident whilst on shift.
If you work in the NHS, you’ll usually go into one setting for your full stint as a newly qualified nurse. Alternatively you can sign up to a nursing recruitment agency. This way you could work in four or five settings in a year, giving you more experience of what you like, what you don’t like, and where your skills lie.
You’ll also have the support network of other agency nurses near you, including a community of newly qualified nurses who can help you manage any anxieties when starting out.
what are the responsibilities of a newly qualified nurse?
You can start your career at various levels, but you’ll usually begin as a band 5 nurse. Newly qualified nurses are typically trained by more experienced nurses under what’s called a preceptorship, where a mentor will guide you through your job.
Preceptorship nurse jobs are typically held by qualified, experienced practitioners who have a passion for developing others. It’s their role to enhance your competence and build the kind of confidence, critical thinking and decision-making skills that you’ll need to succeed. And it’s your job to ask questions!
Along the way you’ll gain experience of a patient evaluation, care delivery and shift work, while working with a broad mix of medical professionals. Your day-to-day tasks might include:
- Taking patient temperatures, blood pressures and pulse rates
- Helping doctors examine patients
- Giving drugs and injections
- Cleaning and dressing wounds
- Monitoring patients’ progress
- Updating patient records
- Advising patients and their relatives
You may be supervised at times and working independently at others, but you shouldn’t be expected to be competent in everything right away.
what skills do I need to succeed as a newly qualified nurse?
You’ll have learned a lot about the practical elements of the job through your training up to this point, and you’ll continue to develop your nursing skills on a daily basis. But there are several soft skills that also go hand in hand with being a good newly qualified nurse, such as:
- Sensitivity and empathy
- Ability to work well with others
- Desire to help people
- Good attention to detail
- Ability to stay cool under pressure
- Willingness to accept criticism and learn from mistakes
how long are you a newly qualified nurse?
Not long! You’ll typically work as a newly qualified nurse for four-to-12 months. The amount of time that you spend under a preceptorship may depend on your professional competency. This is assessed on an individual basis – but don’t worry, receptorship isn’t something that you can fail.
how much do newly qualified nurses earn?
The salary that you can expect as a nurse is split into bands based on your competency, experience and responsibilities. There’s then scope to earn more within bands as you progress. For example:
- Band 5 = From £25,655-£31,534 per year
- Band 6 = From £32,306-£39,027 per year
- Band 7 = From £40,057-£45,839 per year
Newly qualified nurses almost always start their careers in band 5, and there will be lots of opportunities for career development. Check this nursing salary guide for more detail on what you could earn.
nursing career paths
The world of nursing is hugely diverse, so you can pick a path that suits you.
Once qualified, nurses normally specialise in one of four areas: adult nursing, child nursing, mental health or learning disabilities nursing. Within these, you can specialise further in areas such as dermatology, haematology, intensive care and long-term care.
In terms of banding, you’ll have opportunities to progress from band 5 upwards as you gain experience. Here’s what your path could look like:
Band 6: nurse specialist
- You’ll become responsible for performing more advanced nursing procedures relevant to your working environment.
Band 7: nurse (advanced)
- You’ll be expected to perform the most advanced nursing procedures, as well as administering medication.
Band 8a: matron
- At this level you’ll need to manage patient caseload and be responsible for the level of care delivered to all patients.
Band 8c: nurse consultant
- As a nurse consultant, direct patient contact will only be 50% of the role. Your other responsibilities will include research, evaluation and advice on nursing practices.
Read our guide on nursing career paths for extra detail.
advice from real-life nurses on managing stress
Taking your first steps as a newly qualified nurse can be daunting. That’s why we’ve spoken to real-life nurses, such as nurse and Love Island star Rachel Fenton, to get her advice on managing your well-being:
Other frequently asked questions for newly qualified
Here are some other questions newly qualified nurses commonly ask:
Where do I get my nurse uniform and nursing scrubs from?
Don’t worry about sourcing uniform yourself. Your setting or agency will give you it when you start working.
What hours will I work?
This will depend on your shift rotation, but you’ll likely be contracted to work around 37-42 hours per week according to the National Careers Service.
You may work regular unsocial hours including evenings, weekends and bank holidays, so you’ll need to get used to a flexible schedule.
What training will I get as a newly qualified nurse?
Your mentor will be there to support you and give you honest feedback in your first few months. You can also get free continuing professional development (CPD) training from agencies to help you to practise nursing safely and effectively.
We also offer health and social care training courses to our candidates, delivered by EduCare, a market leading provider. View our training for nurses.
Find newly qualified nurse jobs
Ready to start searching for newly qualified nurse jobs? If you’re thinking about joining a nursing recruitment agency, get in touch with one of our consultants for a confidential chat. You can call the team on 0161 245 3347, or email nursinguk@randstad.co.uk.
Want to see what jobs we’ve got available right now? Search for newly qualified nurse jobs in London, Manchester or wherever you might be.