A
Northumbria University programme designed to increase the number of nursing
students who would consider working in a care home has won a national award.
The
Integrated Health and Social Care Internship programme, which has been designed
for caring for older people with complex needs, is believed to be the first of
its kind in the country.
Northumbria
nursing degree students spend half of their time in
university, and the other half on placement in hospitals and community settings
across the region, where they put their new-found skills into practice
The
new programme sees final year adult nursing students spending their management
placement working across health and social care sectors, including care homes,
NHS and voluntary sector.
Jemma
James, 39, of Durham graduated from Northumbria University with a degree in
Adult Nursing in March 2019 and was initially nominated for the RCNI Student
Nurse Award for work she did as part of the new internship programme developed
by the University.
She
was one of five finalists shortlisted for her work nursing a patient who
required significant support for his mental, physical and social health.
Whilst on the internship she managed to support him to return to independent
living where he has now been for a year.
Jemma
in turn nominated the team of staff who set up and supported the internship programme
and they won a Cavell Nursing Star Award at the Care Home Matters Conference.
Jemma,
who now works as a Staff Nurse in an Acute Elderly Care Ward at the Freeman
Hospital, said: “The programme was designed to get student nurses interested in
and recognising care home nursing as integral to integrated care for older
people, and it is targeted at those who wish to specialise in the care of older
people.
“Nursing
older people, in particular in a care home, can be seen as the ‘Cinderella
service’. People don’t think it is skilled, but actually it’s the opposite
case. I have loved it and hope to return to it along with working on a ward, it
is challenging, fantastic and offers brilliant opportunities.”
The
Cavell Nursing Star Award went to Northumbria Senior Lecturers Dr Juliana
Thompson and Sue Tiplady who set up the programme, care home nurse Julia
Stephens who mentored Jemma in the care home setting, and Professor Glenda Cook,
Professor of Nursing.
The
Northumbria team developed, implemented and evaluated the programme which was developed
from an American model. Other orqanisations in the UK are interested in
adopting the programme and Sydney University is exploring using the model to
engage their students working in the field of older people’s nursing.
Dr
Thompson said: “The model has been successful due to the commitment and
collaboration of a number of health and social care organisations including
care homes, clinical commissioning groups, the wider NHS and the voluntary
sector. This has led to a ‘joined up’ education experience for the interns –
they get to understand the whole health and social care journey for older
people, which helps them to deliver person-centred, individualised care.”
The
intern role involves working in care homes with specialist healthcare
professionals such as dementia and Admiral nurses, and with policy makers to
experience the wider health and social care system and how it impacts on the
care of older people.
“How
a care home works is very different to working in a hospital,” explains Jemma.
“You need to learn about multi-morbidities, frailty, end of life care,
understanding budgeting and funding, and care transfers. How you communicate
with your colleagues, patients and their families is key.
“I
loved doing the internship. Working in a hospital you have the doctors,
physios, everyone is on call. In a care home you are an autonomous nurse
practitioner.
“The
difference a care home nurse can make to someone is vast, having a good quality
of life, being happy, healthy, engaged, active and stimulated. You really
become the heart of the family.”
To
find out more about nursing courses available at Northumbria visit www.northumbria.ac.uk/nursing
Care Home Nurse Placement from Roots and Wings on Vimeo.
