The Isle of Wight NHS Trust is celebrating the success of its first cohort of Registered Nurse Degree Apprentices who completed their nursing qualifications in partnership with The Open University.
The Trust has struggled to recruit enough nursing professionals to fill vacancies, so this new programme was designed in collaboration with The Open University to increase the number of Registered Nurses and Nursing Associates on the Island.
Successful registration
22 Registered Nurses graduated this year, a combination of part-time apprentices recruited on a four-year Registered Nurse degree training programme in 2018 and full-time apprentices who began a three-year Registered Nurse degree training programme in 2019.
All 22 apprentices have met the qualification requirements to successfully register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
The Trust’s collaboration with The Open University to deliver both apprenticeship programmes, with course fees fully funded by the Trust’s Apprenticeship Levy, has proven very successful.
This career pathway has enabled people living on the Island to attain the vital skills to deliver effective, safe and responsive nursing care in a wide range of health and care settings.
70 on track
It has also helped to increase the number of Registered Nurses and Nursing Associates recruited to the Trust, with a total of 70 nursing apprentices currently on track to qualify on one of the two programme pathways.
The Trust provides an integrated service which allows trainees on the Island to gain valuable experience across acute, community, ambulance, mental health and learning disabilities services.
Pearce: The model from the Open University works so well for us
Juliet Pearce, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and AHPs Isle of Wight NHS Trust said:
“The Open University learning model works well for our nursing apprentices, with blended learning and it is extremely flexible.
“Being an island, not everybody can commit to travel to Mainland universities.
“So, the distance learning and the support from the Open University allows staff to stay on the Island and learn and train.
“That’s why the model from the Open University works so well for us.”
