Student nurses at the University of Hull are to be offered jobs at Hull’s hospitals before they graduate as part of an on-going recruitment programme.
Hull University Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust (HUTH) will offer jobs to third-year degree students, providing they achieve their degrees, as part of its “Remarkable People” recruitment campaign.
Around 90 per cent of student nurses at the University of Hull now come to work at Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital since the launch of the campaign five years ago.
Simon Nearney, Director of Workforce and Organisational Development at HUTH: “In the past, students completed their studies in Hull but then some chose to move away and work elsewhere.
“Our programme means we can offer local people jobs in their home city, giving them the security of knowing they have a job when they qualify. Instead of trying to find work, they can then concentrate on their studies knowing they will start their careers with us.”
Since the programme began five years ago, 564 newly qualified nurses have joined both hospitals from the University of Hull. While other hospital trusts around the country have struggled to recruit, Hull is bucking the trend and has a nursing vacancy rate of just one per cent compared to the national rate of 10.3 per cent.
Student nurses promised jobs with the trust are supported by nurse educators at the trust, given help with their studies to help them achieve the best possible results.
The trust will host a recruitment event at the University of Hull next month with the view to attracting future staff. Interviews will be held in February with job offers made to successful candidates well in advance of them sitting their final exams.
They will then begin work at the hospitals as newly qualified nurses in September.
Silke Hickey, one of the latest nurses to join Hull’s hospitals, decided to change track at age 40 with the support of her husband Darren and become a nurse: “Darren said that it was his turn to support me as I’d supported him throughout his career, he asked what I wanted to do I replied I’d always wanted to be a nurse he told me to go for it. So I did.”
“When I was asked if there was any particular area I’d like to work in, I said Ward 36 because I’d worked there on placement and had absolutely loved it.
“The senior staff were so supportive, and the rest of the team had been a phenomenal help so that’s where I wanted to be, this is a team I want to be part of.”
Silke has now taken up her post on Ward 36: “I had my first days in my “blues” the other day and I was so proud.
“My advice to anyone thinking of becoming a nurse is just go for it. I have accomplished this a little later in life and with 3 children living at home”.
“Anything is possible if you put your mind to it.”
