[N]orth Cumbria’s health and education institutions are working together to encourage potential nurses into the profession.
North Cumbria University Hospitals NHS Trust (NCUH), Cumbria Partnership Foundation NHS Trust (CPFT), the University of Cumbria (UoC) and Health Education England (HEE) are all joining forces to encourage as many nurses as possible to join the profession.
Cumbria boasts unique opportunities for nurses and is a fantastic place to learn, train and work. NCUH will offer interviews to all students who successfully complete the nursing course and a guaranteed placement during their studies.
NCUH and UoC will be holding a nursing event on Saturday 20 January 2018 where prospective students can come along and get more information about nursing and chat with current staff from the wards. There will also be tutors from the university on hand to answer any question about the course. The event is open to all, even if you have no nursing experience.
The nursing course will begin at the university in March so there has never been a better time to come and find out about starting your career in nursing.
The event is also open to return to practice nurses and staff who may not be nurses but have a clinical background. There are currently several hundred nurses who are still registered but are no longer practicing and HEE are offering to fund their return to practice course, run through UoC. The course is fully funded and the Trust will offer placements to all returning nurses.
The event will be held at the James George Education Centre, Cumberland Infirmary, Infirmary Street, Carlisle, CA2 7HY and will be begin at 10am, with doors opening at 9am for refreshments.
Maurya Cushlow, executive director of nursing & midwifery at NCUH said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for people to come and chat with practicing nurses, course tutors and find out what it is really like to join the nursing profession.
“It’s my 35th year working for the NHS – I started out as a nurse and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. It’s a hugely rewarding and fulfilling job.
“The nurses who’ve not practiced for a while may feel that a lot has changed since they last wore the uniform but it soon comes flooding back and the course is designed to update nurses with the latest techniques and advances in medical care.
“I would like to encourage anyone who is thinking of returning to nursing to consider this excellent opportunity.”
Louise Nelson, head of nursing, health and professional practice at UoC said: “We’d like to invite anyone considering a nursing career to come along to this recruitment event.
“Whether they have no formal training, have left nursing and are considering a return or if they’ve been on an extended break and their practising certificate is still valid, we’ll be able to guide them to their best route into nursing. We’ll have three students on hand to help answer questions and who will be able to give realistic view of studying at the university.”