A career in nursing can offer a huge variety of roles with something to suit anyone.
It doesn't mean you will have to deal with blood and guts, but it doesn't mean you have to work with the elderly, a nurse could work in a GP, visit patient's homes, work with the disabled or children.
Each opportunity offers its own set of challenges and rewards.
There are a variety of routes to take you into a career in nursing but most will require the same port of entry.
You will first need to complete a pre-registration course, of which there are many available across the UK.
There are no universal minimum entry requirements but they will differ on the higher education institution chosen.
The common criteria are usually around 5 GCSEs of grade C and above including English and a science.
A nursing degree will usually require candidates to have gained at least 2 A-level qualifications.
There are key characteristics that will help you become a nurse such as being an excellent team worker and having good communication skills.
Nursing work often involves working in an extremely emotionally charged environment so it is useful to be able to handle yourself and remain calm in those situations.
You will need to be observant as most of your job will involve monitoring a patient's progress.
Some people start off as a healthcare assistant which doesn't require any formal qualifications, this way you can work your way up to a level where you can apply for a diploma or degree.
Many applicants choose to go directly through university to study as a nurse and the NHS encourages all varieties of applicants by covering tuition fees and offering bursaries.
It is possible to undertake qualifications to become a nurse in a part-time environment in order to keep an existing job.
These can be done over a 5-6 year period and can allow someone to change careers without going back to full time education.