During your nursing degree you will have the opportunity to undertake an exciting four-week elective placement. Your elective placement can be in any healthcare setting in the world to give you a wider perspective of nursing around the globe.
An elective is placement opportunity where you get to decide the speciality area and location. In the UK, electives can be arranged in voluntary settings, hospices, prisons or in other specialist units. This may include a citizenship experience such as a voluntary contribution to an organisation as part of your professional development.
Overseas electives can be in any healthcare setting in the world and previous countries our students have visited includes; Australia, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Thailand, Tanzania, Greece, Canada and the USA. One of the key reasons students decide to undertake their elective overseas is for the opportunity to experience differences in culture, clinical practice, healthcare systems and languages. All of which will benefit you as a Registered Nurse when caring for people from different backgrounds.
By arranging your own elective experience you have the opportunity to further develop your self-confidence and organisational skills, with the support and guidance of academic staff. There are also University funds available that students can apply for to assist with their elective placement.
On our BNurs courses the elective experience is undertaken at the end of the second year. On our MNurs courses the elective experience is undertaken at the end of the third year.
Mirriam Museye
BNurs Child Nursing
“I would strongly encourage any student nurse to undertake an elective placement. The opportunity to undertake research in a real-life environment will give you a deeper understanding into the profession which will benefit you moving forward. Being able to conduct fundamental research in order to optimise and impact future practice, is an invaluable experience in which has now broadened my career pathways.”