Hospital shortlisted for national student nursing award

University Hospitals Dorset (UHD) has been shortlisted by Student Nursing Times for the Student Placement of the Year Award.

The award recognises nominees for providing nursing students with a structured learning environment, helping them to flourish and ensuring they are supported to learn, practise and gain wisdom from the wider hospital team.

UHD’s student support team was nominated by the hospital’s deputy head of education Alice Girling. Alice said: “I nominated the incredible student support team for this award to recognise their efforts and achievements over the past two years.”

“During the pandemic it was a priority for the team to ensure that as a trust we could support and protect student learning. To do this the team introduced an innovative blended approach to learning called the Trickle Approach.”

This blended approach to learning awarded UHD a place on the shortlist. It uses simulated clinical teaching, and builds resilience through advanced pastoral support, ensuring students are physically and emotionally well while studying. Students are also given bespoke placement preparation to be fully prepared to apply their knowledge to practice in a healthcare setting. They are coached through collaborative peer learning, and feedback sessions, then assessed through a team approach, which integrates the assessment session with the learning environment.

“Our simulation ward has been key to ensuring students have a safe place to learn and practice clinical skills,” explains Alice.

“Which in combination with the other elements of the approach ensured that every single one of our nursing students progressed into the next stage of their career.

“We are so proud to have been able to support our students throughout the pandemic, and have been consistently amazed by their kindness, compassion and courage. We are delighted that many of these students are now registered and have chosen to be part of the UHD family and make our hospitals their home.”

“We hope this nomination also highlights to our current and future placement students that the education team is always here to look out for them. Our students’ experience with us is our top priority and we are so excited to be part of their journey, and to watch them become the incredible healthcare professionals of the future.”

The Student Nursing Times Awards will be celebrated on 27 May in a live ceremony at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, London.