What is Nursing?

This book helps new nursing students, and those applying to nursing programmes, understand what being a nurse is all about. It explores the essential issues, processes and theories of nursing practice, and is therefore an ideal introductory text as you start your nursing programme, or as pre-course reading.

This revised edition includes a new first chapter on being a nursing student, with insights from students themselves, and explains what will be expected of you in the new all-degree programmes. Interviews with real nurses in each of the fields of practice gives you an important view into the real world of nursing.

• The revised third edition includes a new chapter on being a nursing student, with student tips and stories
• Updated with, and linked to, the new NMC Standards and Essential Skills Clusters for degree-level education
• Activities, case studies and scenarios helps you apply theory to practice
• Particularly suitable for first-year students and those applying to pre-registration programmes

This book is part of the Transforming Nursing Practice Series, the first series of books designed to help students meet the requirements of the NMC Standards and Essential Skills Clusters for the new degree programmes.

Dr Carol Hall is a Registered Nurse and Emeritus Professor in Nursing Education at the University of Nottingham, where she continues to support nursing students and faculty. Carol has extensive experience in the design, delivery and quality assurance of nursing education, through national and international roles in curriculum development, validation and accreditation. She also participates in teaching enhancement internationally through leadership and evaluation of funded projects. Carol was Education Forum Chair for the Royal College of Nursing (2006 - 2015) and Vice President of the Federation of European Nurse Educators (2012 - 2018). She has chaired pilot panels for Nursing and Allied Health during the development of the UK Teaching Excellence Framework (TEF 2018, 2019) and co-chaired International Standards Organisation (ISO) panel ‘Quality of learning environments for students in healthcare professions (IWA 35: 2020). Carol is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons Ireland (Nursing and Midwifery) and Principal Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.  

Dawn Ritchie is a Lecturer in Nursing at the University of Nottingham. She has been involved in nurse education for a number of years, including pre-registration and learning beyond registration programmes, and has developed a keen interest in the practical application of nursing. Dawn’s clinical background is in critical and acute care in children’s nursing.