Nurses have historically been seen as a doctor's handmaid, and have been seen as second class citizens in the environment of the hospital. Despite this, the majority of nurses have a much higher level of knowledge than some doctors on the wards - particularly if they have specialised in a certain area. In the past, nurses didn't usually go to University. Nursing degree courses were just not available until more recent years.

Over the last 20 years or so, nursing has changed immensely. These days a registered nurse is given respect she deserves from patients and medical staff alike. The reason behind this is that nurses are now educated in a completely different way. Up to the early 1990s, nurses were educated in training schools within hospitals. Nowadays the undertake their training in universities with many nurses qualifying with an official nursing degree.

It's not only newly qualified nurses who hold nursing degrees, many exisitng nurses are being encouraged to go back to education and study for a nursing degree in their own specialist area.

In many hospitals, this has been an essential change as junior doctors' hours have been reduced, resulting in a shift in responsibility for many nurses who have had to take on increasing amounts of the junior doctor's tasks. A nurse can only be equipp

ed to do this if she has studied for her nursing degree.

In reality, this now means that nurses are being utilised in important programs to train junior doctors and other nurses in their specific specialist subject areas. In the United Kingdom, there are nurses qualified in practically every speciality, and these nurses are well qualified and highly knowledgeable in their subject. They have gained this knowledge from their work experience, but also from studying at university for their nursing degree.

Qualified nurses in the UK have a positive future. Emphasis is on continuing development and education and this helps the nurse who specializes in a particular field of nursing. A nursing degree is easily accessible to any nurse with with the required knowledge and qualifications and the motivation to study.

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