Nursing (Children's) with Foundation Year
Children's nursing is a profession that requires a distinctive combination of clinical expertise, developmental understanding, and the interpersonal skill to build trust with children and young people whose experience of illness and hospitalisation can be frightening and disorienting. Children are not simply small adults: they have particular physiological, psychological, and developmental needs that require specialist knowledge, and their families must be engaged as partners in their care. Children's nurses work across a wide range of settings, from neonatal units and paediatric wards to community clinics, schools, and hospice care.
At Keele this four-year full-time programme begins with a foundation year providing additional preparation and support for students who need it before progressing to the nursing degree. You will learn key nursing theory and gain hands-on practical experience in Keele's clinical simulation facilities and in a range of placement settings, developing the skills and confidence to care for children and young people with diverse health challenges. The curriculum covers anatomy and physiology, pharmacology for children, nursing assessment, therapeutic approaches, safeguarding, and the ethical and professional frameworks that govern children's nursing practice.
Keele's supportive learning environment and research-informed teaching prepare you to work effectively with children, young people, and their families across the full range of clinical contexts.
Graduates register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council as children's nurses and go on to work in paediatric wards, neonatal units, community children's nursing teams, school nursing, child and adolescent mental health services, and many other settings. The profession offers a deeply rewarding career with genuine scope to develop specialist expertise in areas such as oncology, palliative care, or chronic conditions. Many graduates pursue postgraduate study in specialist children's nursing, advanced practice, or nursing education.