19.02.14
Pre-nursing pilots foster ‘right values’ in staff
The new pre-nursing experience pilot is starting to show “signs of success”, Health Education England (HEE) has found.
Currently 165 trainee nurses are taking part in the programme, which was recommended in the Francis review as a way to increase the focus in nurse training and education on the practical aspects of compassionate care.
The scheme is undergoing formal evaluation, but five of the six pilots are planning to recruit more participants in February/March, and HEE is collecting and publishing the experiences of participants on the programme.
Professor Ian Cumming, chief executive, HEE said: “HEE has been leading these innovative pilots and our work will allow the NHS to be confident that the people starting their journey to become qualified nurses have the right values and behaviours.
“Their degree-level studies will build on these values and behaviours to ensure they have the right technical skills and academic competencies that we would expect of those we entrust with our care. Our pre-nursing experience programme really demonstrates why HEE exists – to, above all, improve the quality of care delivered to patients.”
Health minister Dr Dan Poulter said: “Robert Francis recommended that potential future nurses should have frontline, hands-on caring experience before they start their studies. It is great to see that this scheme already has signs of success.”
Emily Minchew, HCA pilot student, Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, said: “There are a number of benefits to this role, for example, it helps you to decide if nursing is really the career for you, and it also prepares you for life as a student nurse, making you more confident in your role. I would recommend it to anyone that would like to get into nursing and believe it offers invaluable experience.”
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