University of Roehampton student nurses begin Royal Star & Garter placements
- Monday, February 3, 2020
A new generation of nurses are beginning placements at Royal Star & Garter after the charity began welcoming students studying at the University of Roehampton.
A new partnership between Royal Star & Garter and the University of Roehampton will see the University's Adult Nursing degree students work a six-week placement in Surbiton, as reported in the Nursing Times. The new partnership coincides with the World Health Organisation designating 2020 the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife.
The first two Adult Nursing students from the University of Roehampton to be placed at Royal Star & Garter began their placement at the end of 2019. One of them, Natalia Taylor, said: ‘I find as a student nurse that there's so much you can learn here. I started off having no skills in nursing and I'm leaving after six weeks with skills and knowledge to take with me on my nursing journey’.
Student nurses at Royal Star & Garter benefit from experiential practice, a structured schedule, and learning on the job through being mentored by the talented staff. Students also work in a multi-disciplinary environment, which includes in-house Physiotherapy, Activities, Speech and Language Therapy (SALT) and a Dietician, while interaction with residents allows for interpersonal as well as clinical skills to develop.
Pauline Shaw is Director of Care at Royal Star & Garter, and worked with the University of Roehampton’s Head of Nurse Education, Paul Newcombe, to set up the partnership. She said: ‘Campaigning during December's general election highlighted the country’s desperate need for more nurses, so we're delighted to be playing our part in helping to train and inspire this new generation. Royal Star & Garter has a reputation for providing exceptional care and, in the International Year of the Nurse and the Midwife, we're continuing to share our experience and learning. We’re looking forward to our new partnership with the University of Roehampton’.
Paul said: ‘As a university developing a new nursing programme, it was an easy decision choosing Royal Star & Garter to approach as a potential partner. Their reputation as a sector-leading and award-winning care home provider with expertise in dementia care made it an obvious choice. On my first visit to the Surbiton home I was immediately impressed by the approach to care, the staff and the general facilities. In particular, I have shared my genuine admiration for the outstanding level of personalisation to the environment with many colleagues. It is a real beacon of excellence and our nursing students are very lucky to have the opportunity to learn from Director of Care, Pauline Shaw, and her team. The feedback from students has been excellent and we look forward to sending our next group in February’.
The University of Roehampton offers three nursing courses, covering community and primary care, and mental health nursing.