Why should I work as a Registered Nurse in a care home?

If you’re a Registered Nurse wondering what it’s really like to work in a care home - or whether it’s the right move for your career - you’re not alone.

Many Nurses ask the same question: “Why should I work as a Nurse in a care home?”

At Exemplar Health Care, we believe the answer's simple - it’s one of the most rewarding and empowering jobs you can have.

Here’s why working as a Nurse in a care home might just be the best decision you ever make.

You’ll build deeper connections with the people you support

Unlike other settings, where people come and go, care home nursing allows you to build real, long-term relationships.

You’ll get to know the people you support - their stories, their goals, their families - and you’ll play a key role in helping them live as independently as possible.

With staffing levels based on individual need and excellent Nurse-to-Health Care Assistant ratios, you won’t feel rushed or overstretched.

You’ll be able to follow journeys, and see the difference your care makes.

Social care nursing is skilled, meaningful work

There’s a common misconception that nursing in a social care setting isn’t as ‘clinical’ or ‘skilled’ as other roles.

That couldn’t be further from the truth.

In fact, care home nursing is incredibly varied, fast-paced and fulfilling. You won’t just maintain your skills - you’ll develop new ones.

Gaby, Night Nurse Manager at  Otterburn care home in Birmingham said: “One thing that I really, really love about this place is the fact that there are different specialties of nursing, all working together. We have Mental Health Nurses, Learning Disability Nurses, and Adult Nurses. We all learn from each other.”

You’ll be supported to grow your career

Whether you want to climb the ladder or develop your knowledge in a specialist area, we’ve got your back.

Colleagues in nursing roles at Exemplar Health Care get free and unlimited access to the RCNi Learning platform, which has a range of training modules to develop nursing skills across a range of clinical specialities, and The Royal Marsden Manual of Clinical Nursing Procedures, to provide our colleagues with even more opportunities to learn and develop throughout their career.

For those wanting to develop into a leadership and management position, our Leadership Pathway is the place to start - it includes four programmes designed to help you unlock your full potential.

Dhanya Vincent, Home Manager at Longley Park View in Sheffield, began her career at Exemplar Health Care as a Health Care Assistant before progressing to become a Unit Manager, a Clinical Nurse Manager, and Deputy Manager.

You’ll make a real difference, every single day

At the heart of it all, this is what nursing in a care home is really about - making a difference.

You’ll be there to help someone regain confidence, learn skills, connect with loved ones, or simply feel safe and cared for.

These moments may seem small, but they mean everything to the people you support - and they’ll mean everything to you, too.

Come and join us! View our current Registered Nurse, Unit Manager and Clinical Nurse Manager job vacancies on our online job search.