Nursing: Career areas

Nursing is a vocational degree. A 2012 HESA survey of 2011 graduates indicates that six months after graduation 85% of nursing graduates were in UK or overseas employment. Around 6% opted to combine work with further study.

Of those who were in work, 93% were working as health or associate professionals. Just over 1% of nursing graduates were in social care and welfare jobs, while 2% had taken roles in commercial, industrial or public sector management. Around 2% were believed to be unemployed.

Nurses work in many locations including GP surgeries, community settings, residential homes, occupational health services and hospices. Areas of work open to nursing graduates can also include management and training roles.

Qualified nurses also have the option of working abroad in countries where their qualifications are recognised. Find out more by contacting the Royal College of Nursing (RCN)  international office.

Where are the jobs?

Common employers include:

• The National Health Service (NHS) (see NHS Careers  and Careers and Opportunities in NHS Scotland );
• private sector clinics and hospitals;
• private sector healthcare providers that have been contracted to provide services to NHS patients;
• voluntary organisations;
• local authorities (for work in nursing and residential homes);
• schools and further and higher education institutions;
• industry;
• prisons and the armed forces;
• private sector organisations such as leisure cruise companies and private nursing homes.

For more information on potential career areas open to nursing graduates, see health and social care

For further information on possibilities in other employment areas, see job sectors. 

Statistics are collected every year to show what HE students do immediately after graduation. These can be a useful guide but, in reality, because the data is collected within six months of graduation, many graduates are travelling, waiting to start a course, paying off debts, getting work experience or still deciding what they want to do. For further information about some of the areas of employment commonly entered by graduates of any degree discipline, check out What Do Graduates Do?  and your degree...what next?