Children's Nursing
Children's nursing is a specialist branch of nursing that focuses on the care of infants, children, and young people across a range of health settings, from neonatal intensive care and paediatric wards through to community nursing, school health, and children's mental health services. Working with children and their families requires a particular set of clinical skills and professional qualities, including the ability to communicate with children of different ages and developmental stages, to work in partnership with families, and to adapt assessment and care to the specific physiological and psychological needs of children and young people.
At the University of Suffolk, this three-year degree leads to registration with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as a children's nurse, qualifying you to practise in NHS and independent healthcare settings. You will study anatomy and physiology, pathophysiology, pharmacology, child development, and the clinical sciences that underpin the full range of conditions encountered in children's nursing practice. Clinical placements are embedded throughout the degree, taking you into hospital wards, community settings, and specialist children's services where you develop practical nursing skills under the supervision of experienced registered nurses.
Suffolk's programme has achieved the highest student satisfaction rating for children's nursing courses in the East of England, and the university has strong partnerships with NHS Trusts in the region that provide high-quality placement experiences.
Children's nursing graduates register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council and practise in NHS and independent healthcare settings. Paediatric wards, neonatal units, children's outpatient departments, community children's nursing services, and school nursing are all typical practice environments. Many nurses develop specialist expertise in areas such as oncology, intensive care, neurology, or mental health.
Career progression routes include advanced clinical practice, nursing management, education, and research. Children's nurses who wish to extend their prescribing authority or move into advanced clinical roles can access postgraduate programmes that build on the undergraduate registration.