If you’re wondering how to become an immunisation nurse in the UK, and what’s in it for you – you’re in the right place. We’re going to look at the benefits of taking a vaccination and immunisation training course and choosing to specialise in this area. There are a number of opportunities open to you when you train in immunisation – from chances to travel and work in a variety of contexts and areas. 

Having an interest in the health space doesn’t mean your only career path is to be a doctor or nurse in a hospital or health clinic. There’s a world of possibilities available when you choose this field – and having travel health and immunisation training can be hugely beneficial in a number of different areas. 

Let’s look at exactly where travel health and immunisation training can take you in your career, and beyond.

Immunisation training: a hugely versatile skill

Firstly, it’s important to recognise that training in immunisation and vaccinations doesn’t limit you to one role. In fact, it does anything but that. A vital part of any healthcare system, protecting the people from the spread of infectious diseases is a much-needed, and transferrable qualification that’s in demand in numerous areas.

From public sectors to private settings, in your home country or abroad, immunisation is universally-recognised as a crucial service that everyone should have access to. It also means that having healthcare professionals trained in this area is of the utmost importance. 

Once you’re trained, you can administer vaccinations in a range of diverse settings – let’s look at a few of them now. 

  • GP: working at a doctor’s office means you could be administering infant vaccines, travel immunisations and flu jabs for the elderly and vulnerable. 
  • School vaccinations: children of all school ages need to be vaccinated against illnesses like the HPV virus, as well as receive booster jabs for tetanus, diphtheria and polio (Td/IPV). 
  • Military immunisations: military personnel can be stationed in any region of the world, meaning that they might face exposure to illnesses and viruses that require vaccinations. 
  • Private healthcare: you could work with private health patients offering a range of immunisation services.
  • Travel health: visiting different regions of the world, whether it’s for business or leisure, requires vaccinations. As a travel health nurse, you can help to protect travellers on their journeys – and even work abroad yourself. 
  • Charitable healthcare: global healthcare non-profit organisations need qualified personnel to administer vaccinations to vulnerable populations worldwide. 

Travel health provides a global perspective

Training in travel health also offers a more obvious advantage – the chance of travel. Immunisation for travel is needed in countless countries around the world, regardless of location. This means that you’ve the opportunity to work in different regions without having to expand your skill set too much, thanks to immunisation being an in-demand service across borders. 

So if travel is something you’ve always wanted to incorporate into your career, or you have dreams of living in different areas or countries – travel nursing can help get you there. All you need to do is make sure you take a vaccination and immunisation training course from a trusted provider.

If you’re looking for a more charitable role, you could work with an international healthcare charity such as Doctors Without Borders who administer healthcare to those who need it most around the world. Immunisation programs are absolutely vital in stopping the spread of infectious diseases and preventing health pandemics, such as COVID-19 – and need the right personnel to drive them forwards. So not only do you have a chance to see new places and experience new cultures working in an international context, but can make a positive impact too. 

Specialisation means better growth

No matter your occupation, growth and development is always a priority. Finding yourself in a job without these things can have a huge effect on your sense of wellbeing – as well as negatively impact your life in other ways, such as contending with the ever-increasing costs of living. Unfortunately, nurses aren’t always paid well, which is why it’s important to seek this development in your role. 

Choosing to specialise in immunisation means that you can indeed achieve growth in your career. In the healthcare field, it’s important to build on your skill set wherever you can, including specialising in different areas. Becoming an expert in your field enables you to be trusted to train others and assume more responsibility – as well as welcome the boost in pay that comes with this development. So if you’re looking to progress in your role, or earn more money, you can do so by taking a vaccination and immunisation training course in areas such as immunisation and travel health. 

How to become an immunisation nurse in the UK

Choosing a career in healthcare means that you’re helping to safeguard the health of every patient you work with – and provide potentially life-saving services to your community. It’s a highly demanding and technical job that isn’t always easy to do, but is hands down one of the most rewarding careers out there. 

If you’d like to start working in this exciting field, you can take a vaccination and immunisation training course with us. Whether you’re just starting out in your career or are already an accomplished nurse looking to expand your skill set, you can train in this area with our experienced, expert team. We’ll empower you with the right skills to feel confident in protecting your patients from infectious diseases.

At RIVA, we offer a range of different programmes to suit nurses of all experience levels – so if you’re wondering how to become an immunisation nurse in the UK, we can help. Whether you need a training top-up or an introductory course, you’ll find a RIVA training programme for you. 

Get in touch with us today to book onto a course.