Supporting our newly qualified nurses
Each year, more than 100 newly qualified nurses (NQNs) join teams across our Trust. Ellie (pictured left) is part of our Nursing Development Team that helps to ensure our NQNs have the best possible start and experience of joining us. Sandra (pictured right) joined the Trust in December 2022 and is now a thriving and valued member of the Kingston Integrated Recovery Hub.
Here, Ellie and Sandra explain more about the support we offer NQNs, including our eight-month preceptorship programme.
Q. What does the Nursing Development Team (NDT) do?
Ellie: We aim to support and nurture all of our nursing colleagues with everything from career development and pastoral support to interpersonal and clinical skills development. We are very enthusiastic about nurse development and ensuring that our nursing colleagues can secure the right personal development opportunities for them, or for their team.
Our role is to ensure everyone has the right level of support, particularly our nursing students and NQNs. We want them to really enjoy and feel supported during those important first years so that they can flourish and make the vital contribution for which they trained. We’re a very friendly, approachable team and our door is always open!
Q. What makes SWLSTG the best place for NQNs to start their careers?
Ellie: There are so many reasons, but I’ll give you my top three! Firstly, the Trust is investing in its environments and has just opened two new state-of-the-art facilities at Springfield Hospital, with further developments planned for our other sites.
Secondly, we really try to support flexible working styles as far as we can. We recognise the importance of helping people to manage their work-life balance and support a range of flexible options, such as part-time working, job sharing, compressed hours and working from home.
And last but not least, we’re a smaller Trust but it plays to our advantage because it makes it easier to build a good rapport and network with colleagues.
Sandra: From day one I felt really supported. The induction and preceptorship programme were well organised, and I knew what to expect from each session from the information shared in advance. I felt settled and reassured knowing that the NDT were there guiding me, and I knew that I could reach out to them with any questions or concerns if I needed to.
For NQNs, I think the NDT provides a safety net and invaluable source of information about everything you need to know. They offer 1:1 support and regular drop-in sessions where you can ask them anything, no question is too big or too small. Thanks to the support of Ellie and the NDT, I can genuinely say I feel happy coming to work each day!
Q. What is unique about our preceptorship programme?
Ellie: Preceptorship is a really important part of the onboarding experience and offers our new nurses a safe space to learn and grow. The programme covers a variety of topics including mental state examination, advanced clinical skills sessions, formulation skills and advocacy training. We try to keep things interactive with activities, focus groups and discussions about the latest research and issues in nursing to ensure relevance to current practice.
What makes us different is that we make sure to adapt our sessions and taught content based on the development needs of our current NQN group. We really value feedback and the suggestions of our NQNs – their voices are the most important.
Sandra: The preceptorship programme here is really well organised and structured to set you up to progress within the Trust. It’s given me the confidence to put my knowledge into everyday practice and without it, I don’t think I would have settled in and progressed as quickly as I have.
Right from the start I felt really well supported by Ellie and the NDT who were always on hand to give advice and help resolve any issues. I enjoyed the relaxed atmosphere in which sessions were delivered and how everyone was made to feel welcome and valued. We were regularly asked how we felt and invited to share feedback.
Q. Why should people consider a nursing career in mental health?
Ellie: Working in mental health is in an incredible learning experience. You learn so much about people, including yourself, and the different experiences, cultures, views and backgrounds that make up a person. Supporting people with mental health issues is about looking beyond their diagnosis and understanding more about them as a person. You learn so much more than you think you’re going to learn. It can be challenging but it’s really rewarding at the same time.
Sandra: It offers a variety of transferrable skills that you can apply and use in nearly every aspect of life – including compassion, empathy, problem-solving and decision-making. Mental health nursing also offers great job prospects, especially at SWLSTG where our excellent NDT will support you to work your way up and achieve your career aspirations!
