• University of York

Introduction to Nursing: Bioscience, Psychology, and Sociology

Explore the diverse skills and knowledge required to be a nurse and find out where a career in nursing could take you.

12,481 enrolled on this course

A nurse holding a patient's hand

Introduction to Nursing: Bioscience, Psychology, and Sociology

12,481 enrolled on this course

  • 3 weeks

  • 4 hours per week

  • Digital certificate when eligible

  • Advanced level

Find out more about how to join this course

Explore the exciting possibilities of a career in nursing

Most people will have interacted with a qualified nurse during their lifetime, but the profession remains largely misunderstood.

On this course, you’ll develop an accurate understanding of nursing and where a career in nursing can lead. You’ll discover the demands of nursing in emergency and intensive care, and education and research. You’ll also observe nursing in GP surgeries, people’s homes, and assisted living facilities.

The course will explore how basic science, psychology, and sociology is applied in the nursing profession to reveal the diverse role nurses play in our society today.

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Skip to 0 minutes and 7 seconds Most people will have interacted with a registered nurse at some point in their lives, and many people have an opinion about nurses and what they do. However, our profession remains one of the most misunderstood and misrepresented careers in the country. Nurses work in a multitude of different areas of healthcare, from intensive care, emergency departments, to GP surgeries, prisons, in people’s own homes, or in assisted living accommodation, as well as in education, research and health policy. Developing an understanding of nursing and of the applied theoretical aspects of the role will give you a greater understanding of where a career in nursing may take you.

Skip to 0 minutes and 44 seconds This course will cover key subjects related to the knowledge and understanding required to become a modern registered nurse. The Department of Health Sciences at the University of York is a large world leading health research department and delivers a nursing programme that’s taught by individuals with a broad range of specialist and practical experience in the field and you’ll get to meet some of those people during this course. Join us for this course as together we explore the world of modern nursing and discover what it means to become part of one of the most rewarding professions imaginable.

What topics will you cover?

  • The variety of roles undertaken by nurses
  • The context of nursing, caring for children, adults, older people, individuals with mental health and cognitive support needs
  • Bioscience applied to nursing looking at basic physiological measurement
  • Psychology related to nursing including the impact of psychology on physiology
  • Sociology related to nursing care and society.

When would you like to start?

Start straight away and join a global classroom of learners. If the course hasn’t started yet you’ll see the future date listed below.

  • Available now

Learning on this course

On every step of the course you can meet other learners, share your ideas and join in with active discussions in the comments.

What will you achieve?

By the end of the course, you‘ll be able to...

  • Identify how the application of basic science relates to nursing practice.
  • Describe some of the basic psychology and sociology applied to nursing
  • Discuss the roles of nursing within society
  • Develop an understanding of health research that can be utilised in evidence-based nursing care

Who is the course for?

This course is designed for anyone interested in a career in nursing and the variety of roles within the nursing profession.

Who will you learn with?

I am a lecturer in Adult Nursing with clinical experience in intensive care nursing. I am the academic lead for simulation at the University of York

I trained as a general nurse before training to be a children's nurse at Great Ormond Street Hospital. I worked in children's heart surgical units in London before becoming a lecturer at York.

I'm a Lecturer in Mental Health Nursing with interests in professional values, the nurse-patient relationship and older people's mental health care.

Who developed the course?

University of York

The University of York combines the pursuit of academic excellence with a culture of inclusion, which encourages everyone – from a variety of backgrounds – to achieve their best.

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Ways to learn

Choose the best way to learn for you!

Subscribe & save

$27.99

For the first two months. Automatically renews

Develop skills to further your career

  • Access to this course
  • Access to 1,000+ courses
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Digital certificate when you're eligible

Cancel for free anytime

Buy this course

$109/one-off payment

Fulfill your current learning need

  • Access to this course
  • Learn at your own pace
  • Discuss your learning in comments
  • Tests to boost your learning
  • Printed and digital certificate when you’re eligible

Limited access

Free

Sample the course materials

  • Access expires 19 Apr 2024

Find out more about certificates, Unlimited or buying a course (Upgrades)

T&Cs apply.

Learning on FutureLearn

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  • Courses are split into weeks, activities, and steps to help you keep track of your learning
  • Learn through a mix of bite-sized videos, long- and short-form articles, audio, and practical activities
  • Stay motivated by using the Progress page to keep track of your step completion and assessment scores

Join a global classroom

  • Experience the power of social learning, and get inspired by an international network of learners
  • Share ideas with your peers and course educators on every step of the course
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  • Whenever you’re ready, mark each step as complete, you’re in control
  • Complete 90% of course steps and all of the assessments to earn your certificate

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