Children's Nursing
Children's nursing is a specialist field of nursing practice dedicated to the care of infants, children and young people from birth through to young adulthood. It differs from adult nursing in important ways: children have different physiological characteristics at different developmental stages, they communicate and experience illness differently from adults, and their care almost always involves working closely with parents and families as partners. A children's nurse needs clinical competence, developmental knowledge, and exceptional communication skills, and the role is both demanding and deeply rewarding.
At Bangor University, this three-year full-time programme prepares you to register as a children's nurse with the Nursing and Midwifery Council. You will develop your knowledge of child anatomy, physiology, pharmacology and development alongside the clinical skills, assessment capabilities and professional values that nursing practice requires. Practice placements are central to the programme and are distributed throughout the three years, placing you in a range of clinical settings where you work with children and their families under supervision, building the hands-on competence and professional confidence that nursing demands.
Bangor's location in north Wales means you will also develop an understanding of Welsh-language healthcare contexts, which is a distinctive asset in this region.
You will learn to assess and respond to the needs of children in acute, community and specialist care settings, to communicate sensitively with children of different ages and developmental stages, and to work effectively as part of a multidisciplinary team. Safeguarding and family-centred care are central themes throughout.
After qualifying, graduates register with the NMC and move into children's nursing roles across NHS paediatric wards, community children's nursing, neonatal care, CAMHS, school nursing, specialist paediatric services, and private healthcare. Further development pathways include specialist practice, advanced clinical roles and postgraduate study.