Applying to study for a master's in nursing at university is a wise career choice for individuals at any stage in their lives. One of the most important selling points in your application will be the personal statement made in support of your application. Writing a nursing personal statement can be challenging, so the tips below could prove extremely useful for a variety of top-rated nursing degree courses.
GETTING STARTED
Before sitting down to draft your personal statement for a master's in nursing it's a good idea to create a bulleted list of all areas you plan to include. Ordering your list in terms of importance can help ensure the main thrust of your personal statement is in the first couple of sections.
Your masters in nursing personal statement is an individual piece of work that can really make a difference to course leaders and influence the decision-making process. So, it is important you take care when writing the statement and give yourself plenty of time to create a personal statement that makes an impact on readers. You should aim to provide a concise statement that gives a real insight into your values and the reasons behind your choice of a nursing career (adult or mental health). The factors influencing your specialism choice will also be important to course leaders and you should highlight the particular qualities that make you an ideal candidate for the area of nursing you have chosen. You may not have direct nursing expertise, however, it's highly likely that some of your past experiences will be highly relevant to your future nursing roles, such as leadership and teamworking experiences. Ensuring all this detail is included in your personal statement is also recommended.
HOW TO DEMONSTRATE A REAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE ROLE YOU WANT
One of the main areas in which applicant statements tend to fall down is not fully understanding the role of the nurse. You need to demonstrate that you have reached a real appreciation of what an Adult Nurse or a Mental Health Nurse does, where they might work, typical responsibilities, and role progression. Additionally, most nursing roles involve 24-hour care or on-call duties and will entail shifts of some kind. You should discuss your own care experience and the roles you have undertaken thus far and how these might underpin a career in nursing.
HOW TO INCLUDE SPECIFICS FOR THE DIFFERENT FIELDS
Your personal statement for a master's in nursing should be a demonstration of individual passion and drive, showing the ways in which, you can make a difference and contribute in meaningful ways when you're in post.
When it comes to personal statement specifics for different fields of nursing, it's advisable to explain the inspiration behind your choice, and the sort of qualities you have that suit this course, and you should also show a very real understanding of the way the course is structured and the differences between practical and theoretical instruction.
The following tips may also prove useful.
ADULT NURSING SPECIFICS
If you're applying for adult nursing you need to be able to demonstrate your ability to interact on a professional basis with adults from diverse backgrounds and ethnic groups, from young adults through to the older person and the acutely ill in hospital care, community care and end of life. You need to demonstrate your knowledge of nursing in the adult field. You should be able to evidence a wide range of personal and social interactions that support your application and highlight your particular qualities and strengths to the full.
Be clear and concise in your writing and show how your previous experiences demonstrate your suitability for the role of the adult nurse by using real examples. Do not worry if your experiences are not all health-related as many skills are transferable to the nursing role. Be specific as to how your experiences have affected your decision to apply for adult nursing and give examples of the qualities you say you have.
MENTAL HEALTH NURSING SPECIFICS
Mental health nursing is a totally different challenge and nurses will work with patients/clients across the lifespan, across all ethnicities, and from all sectors of society. Mental health nurses might work with clients with drug or alcohol abuse issues, eating disorders, dementia, or a whole range of other types of mental illness. You must address your experience to date of working with individuals with mental health issues in your personal statement and why these experiences make you suitable for the course. Mental health nursing is a growing field in the UK and offers a range of opportunities, including crisis care and follow-up community psychiatric nursing opportunities. Make sure you research this area well before writing your individual statement in full.
Want to find out more?
Find out more about our MSc Adult Nursing and MSc Mental Health Nursing courses by searching in our course directory and checking out our course pages.
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