IS NURSING RIGHT FOR YOU? Choosing where to start your career is a big decision. Take our quiz to find out whether nursing at King s could be the start of the right career for you. Remember to keep a tally of your scores as you go! 1. Which of the following statements describes you best? A I am a people person and enjoy human interaction but I like to balance this with attention to paperwork and documentation. B I prefer long periods of desk work with minimal human interaction. C I love busy environments and meeting new people I can t stand bureaucracy. 2. Which of the following statements is closest to how you learn? A I respond well to variety and am able to capitalise on learning opportunities both in a traditional academic setting and via practical training. B I love academia and having the opportunity to learn independently via traditional methods of study such as books and lectures. C I learn best when exposed to practical, real-life situations rather than in the library.
3. You have a key lecture coming up and need to do some reading for it. Do you: A Do the reading well in advance. B Read the study materials the morning of the lecture on your way to class. C Wing it and hope for the best. Now imagine you are a trained nurse on the job 4. You arrive for work at 7.30 am to find several staff on your team off sick and new patients admitted to the ward overnight. You are in charge of the shift. Do you: A Ask other wards for help and then allocate as quickly as possible. B Do your best to cope with the resources available on your ward. C Go off sick yourself.
5. A patient comes to you complaining of a condition but exhibits no recognisable symptoms. Do you: A Check their observations (blood pressure, pulse etc) and get a second opinion from a colleague. B Perform the same set of tests a second and third time hoping for a different result. C Tell the patient to stop wasting your time. 6. Which one of the following statements is closest to how you feel? A I don t mind the variety of shift work and am happy to balance the demands of work and my personal life. B I enjoy working regular, consistent hours. C I like the unpredictability of my shifts and am often taking shifts with short notice.
7. Which statement best describes how you balance the needs of your patients? A It s important to be aware of individual cases, but this should be balanced with an awareness of other patients needs. B The needs of the individual should be at the heart of all decisions and override all other concerns. C It depends how much time I have and how busy I am.
MOSTLY As You are flexible and adaptive, able to learn and thrive in both academic and practical environments. You are ready to use your initiative, think on your feet and ask for help from those around you when unsure about an important decision. You are also adept at balancing competing demands. It looks like nursing could be a good fit for you. You should consider applying for nursing at King s. MOSTLY Bs You love the academic setting and thrive when working independently. In a practical setting, you may sometimes be reluctant to ask team members or colleagues for support, think outside the box or keep in mind the bigger picture. Think carefully before choosing nursing as a career. While academic work is fundamental to a successful career in nursing, so are practical skills, lateral thinking and teamwork. MOSTLY Cs You are a highly practical person who flourishes in busy environments and when meeting new people. You may find academic and desk work laborious and frustrating at times. Think carefully before choosing a career in nursing. Academia is an important component of nursing programmes and involves significant independent study. Find out more about nursing at King s