David Lock

My son's g/f is in her first year at Bournemouth uni doing an Advanced Diploma in Adult Nursing. The NHS provide a £500 per month bursary. She has to pay for accommodation but nothing else like the £3000 per year fee.

But she doesn't like the course and wants to switch - probably to a psychology degree course. She has enough points to qualify for the course.

So do you think she is way too late to switch courses this year or will she need to wait until the next academic year? Note she did psychology at AS which may help her case. Any thoughts about the bursary she currently gets - will someone want this back, is it written off or what??

She is seeing her tutor as soon as she returns next week but I said I would try and find out some background. I have refused point blank to offer any other "advice" as it's up to her and her family as to what she does. Any comments invited. TIA, dl

samantha

I don't think the bursary will have to be paid back if she terminates her place on the course. I have been qualified as a RGN for a year now. While i was training alot of people wanted to leave or got kicked off the course. They never paid anything back. If she has any problems tell her to contact nhsstudentsgrants.co.uk. As for starting another course, she probably will have to wait till the next intake to start.
Hope it all goes well for her.

David Lock

Thanks Samantha. That's one worry off her shoulders then I hope. I expect you're right about having to wait until the next academic year as well. She now has to decide whether to jack it in now or at least complete the first year. As you've "got the T-Shirt" - did you have any qualms when you first started the nursing route?? I don't think she took to the practical stuff. I know her parents think she hasn't given it enough time to decide but, as I said, I am keeping well out of that side of things as it's not my place to interfere. david

samantha

It has not been easy. The first year is hard and the new training has changed alot over the last year. I would say that it has been worth it though. I have a good job, with a fairly decent wage, without a mountain of debt most students have. Has she ever considered mental health nursing? A friend of mine swapped from adult to mental health and for her it was the best thing to do. The 1st year is basic training so she would not have to drop back to swap over, plus there is alot of psychology in that course. Maybe its worth her thinking about it. I would say though, that she should think hard about it before she walks away from the course and maybe give it a bit longer. My cousin got a psychology degree last year and is currently working in telesales.
Let me know how she gets on.

samantha

Forgot to say, when i first started i hated the sight of blood and could not stomach the smell of Pooh. I now get my gloves on and get stuck in. It all comes with practice and experience and just becomes the job you love. The practical stuff comes with time and she will get used to it in the end.

David Lock

Thanks again S. I told her that once she's had a couple of babies a bit of pooh and vomit will seem like nothing In fact her Labrador has just given birth to 7 puppies so that should be a good start

Flaps

iTrader: (1)

When I first went to Uni I changed my course twice so changing itself shouldn't be a problem, it just depends on if they are going to let her do it a term in. The fact that she already knows a bit about the course she's interested in should work in her favour so fingers crossed that should be ok.

With regards to paying back the funding, I did a PGCE three years ago and received funding while I trained. I think I remember it saying somewhere that if I dropped the course I would need to pay that money back. If that wasn't the case then what's to stop everyone that's on the dole signing up for a degree, getting paid more than they would on the dole for six months then jacking it in?

Remember if she changes the course she will have to pay those fees too.

I suppose it all comes down to the University in the end though, get her to talk it through with them asap.