Editorial
Managing director Rhonda Oliver Editor in chief Jean Gray Editor Graham Scott Deputy editor Elaine Cole Acting deputy editor Janet Snell Assistant editor Roger Evans ART&SCIENCE Editor Gwen Clarke Deputy editors Sonia Davies, Tanya Fernandes Clinical editor Noreen Begley NEWS & VIEWS News editor Sarah Harrison Deputy news editor Sally Gillen Reporters Jennifer Sprinks, Kat Keogh Development editor Frances Pickersgill Features editor Thelma Agnew Reflections editor Clare Lomas PRODUCTION & DESIGN Head of production Fiona Maclean Senior production editor Julie Hickey Production manager Arnie Beeson Production editors Sarah Howe, Jennifer Oldfield Deputy production editor Justin Stevens Sub editors Yvonne Byron Nour, Joyce McKimm, Jennifer Saunders Art directors Ken McLoone, Paul Swainson Deputy art director Minesh Parmar Designer Sujata Aurora Picture editor Philip Brecht Deputy picture editor Helen Jones Assistant picture editor Karen Gordon Production assistant Annette Taylor-Anderson Ad production executives Sally Gauntlett, Sue Horn IT AND NEW MEDIA Technology director John Day Manager Alex Oldfield Web editor Amanda Carter IT assistant Kerry Taylor ADMINISTRATION Administration manager Maria O’Brien Editorial administrative assistants Sarah Musisi, Jane Yates BUSINESS UNIT Commercial director Tony O’Rourke PA to commercial director Angelina George Head of marketing Helen Sumner Deputy head of marketing Michelle Day Events executive Rachel Weeden Subscriptions manager Beryl John Group educational projects manager Laura Downes RGN Advertisement and sponsorship sales manager Neil Hobson Senior sponsorship and advertising specialist Julia Gomersall Advertisement and sponsorship executives Rachel Fisher, Kelly Smith Classified sales manager Andy McCallum Sales project specialist Freddie Collier Classified sales executives Mandy Croggon, Shona Gethin, Pamela Gethin, Stephanie Mackrill
Elaine Cole DEPUTY EDITOR
Pre-degree pilot has its uses…and its limitations Our research, published in this issue of Nursing Standard, shows that more than one in ten of the aspiring nurses on a pilot scheme to give them pre-degree care experience have dropped out. SOME OF THOSE LEAVING THE The pilot is a response to the PILOT DECIDED THEY WANTED Francis report into care failings at Stafford Hospital. He TO REMAIN AS HCAs
recommended a requirement of three months’ experience before a candidate embarked on a nursing degree. The pilot is promoted as a taster for life as a student, and ultimately a nurse. In this context, a ten per cent bail-out after five months could be a sign of success. Our research found that some of the healthcare assistants (HCAs) decided nursing was not for them; others were homesick. It is much better for people to discover sooner rather than later they are not ready for what can be a challenging career. This may also help reduce expensive university attrition.
However, whether it is feasible to make it compulsory for all students to have front line care experience before starting a nursing degree remains to be seen. It is unclear if a pilot of 165 places can demonstrate how to overcome the logistical nightmare of giving potential nursing students practical experience. And the pilots vary widely between the participating trusts: some last five months, others a year. The HCAs might work in numerous settings or on a single ward. Some are filling existing posts, others are supernumerary.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Personal rates from £76.80 a year. Telephone 0345 772 6100 Institutional rates from £675 a year. Send all enquiries to [email protected] Visit www.nursing-standard.co.uk for details. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS
The Heights, 59-65 Lowlands Road, Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex HA1 3AW Tel: +44 (0)20 8423 1333 Fax: +44 (0)20 8872 3197 ISSN 0029-6570 Email: [email protected] You can email staff at Nursing Standard in the following way: (first name).(second name)@rcnpublishing.co.uk Nursing Standard is published every Wednesday by RCN Publishing Company Ltd, the publishing company of the Royal College of Nursing. It seeks to promote professional excellence, and encourage creativity and innovation in nursing, midwifery and health visiting practice. Nursing Standard also aims to enhance nurses’ and healthcare assistants’ career development and to help them achieve and maintain a healthy and rewarding working environment. Nursing Standard is editorially independent and the opinions expressed are not those of the RCN or of the contributor’s employing organisation unless specifically stated. Acceptance of an advertisement does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of a product or service, either by the RCN or RCN Publishing.
The pilot size is too small to analyse the disruption – to nurse supervisors and to patient care – of giving large numbers of HCAs the ability to rotate through specialties. Whatever lessons can be learned, any proposed changes must be more widely tested before implementation. Our research shows that some of those leaving the pilot decided they wanted to remain as HCAs, demonstrating that the role and its responsibilities can be distinct from nursing. It would be unfair if these HCAs were crowded out of their chosen career by people who have chosen to pursue a nursing degree. See news page 9 Air your views on
Nursing Standard and
@NScomment
Have your say by joining our weekly Twitter debate. Every Thursday from 12.30 to 1.30 use #NScomment and share your views with other nurses on a hot topic of the day february 19 :: vol 28 no 25 :: 2014 3
Nursing Standard 2014.28:3-3. Downloaded from journals.rcni.com by 117.253.102.178 on 11/10/15. For personal use only.
Managing director Rhonda Oliver Editor in chief Jean Gray Editor Graham Scott Deputy editor Elaine Cole Acting deputy editor Janet Snell Assistant editor Roger Evans ART&SCIENCE Editor Gwen Clarke Deputy editors Sonia Davies, Tanya Fernandes Clinical editor Noreen Begley NEWS & VIEWS News editor Sarah Harrison Deputy news editor Sally Gillen Reporters Jennifer Sprinks, Kat Keogh Development editor Frances Pickersgill Features editor Thelma Agnew Reflections editor Clare Lomas PRODUCTION & DESIGN Head of production Fiona Maclean Senior production editor Julie Hickey Production manager Arnie Beeson Production editors Sarah Howe, Jennifer Oldfield Deputy production editor Justin Stevens Sub editors Yvonne Byron Nour, Joyce McKimm, Jennifer Saunders Art directors Ken McLoone, Paul Swainson Deputy art director Minesh Parmar Designer Sujata Aurora Picture editor Philip Brecht Deputy picture editor Helen Jones Assistant picture editor Karen Gordon Production assistant Annette Taylor-Anderson Ad production executives Sally Gauntlett, Sue Horn IT AND NEW MEDIA Technology director John Day Manager Alex Oldfield Web editor Amanda Carter IT assistant Kerry Taylor ADMINISTRATION Administration manager Maria O’Brien Editorial administrative assistants Sarah Musisi, Jane Yates BUSINESS UNIT Commercial director Tony O’Rourke PA to commercial director Angelina George Head of marketing Helen Sumner Deputy head of marketing Michelle Day Events executive Rachel Weeden Subscriptions manager Beryl John Group educational projects manager Laura Downes RGN Advertisement and sponsorship sales manager Neil Hobson Senior sponsorship and advertising specialist Julia Gomersall Advertisement and sponsorship executives Rachel Fisher, Kelly Smith Classified sales manager Andy McCallum Sales project specialist Freddie Collier Classified sales executives Mandy Croggon, Shona Gethin, Pamela Gethin, Stephanie Mackrill
Elaine Cole DEPUTY EDITOR
Pre-degree pilot has its uses…and its limitations Our research, published in this issue of Nursing Standard, shows that more than one in ten of the aspiring nurses on a pilot scheme to give them pre-degree care experience have dropped out. SOME OF THOSE LEAVING THE The pilot is a response to the PILOT DECIDED THEY WANTED Francis report into care failings at Stafford Hospital. He TO REMAIN AS HCAs
recommended a requirement of three months’ experience before a candidate embarked on a nursing degree. The pilot is promoted as a taster for life as a student, and ultimately a nurse. In this context, a ten per cent bail-out after five months could be a sign of success. Our research found that some of the healthcare assistants (HCAs) decided nursing was not for them; others were homesick. It is much better for people to discover sooner rather than later they are not ready for what can be a challenging career. This may also help reduce expensive university attrition.
However, whether it is feasible to make it compulsory for all students to have front line care experience before starting a nursing degree remains to be seen. It is unclear if a pilot of 165 places can demonstrate how to overcome the logistical nightmare of giving potential nursing students practical experience. And the pilots vary widely between the participating trusts: some last five months, others a year. The HCAs might work in numerous settings or on a single ward. Some are filling existing posts, others are supernumerary.
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Personal rates from £76.80 a year. Telephone 0345 772 6100 Institutional rates from £675 a year. Send all enquiries to [email protected] Visit www.nursing-standard.co.uk for details. CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENTS
The Heights, 59-65 Lowlands Road, Harrow-on-the-Hill, Middlesex HA1 3AW Tel: +44 (0)20 8423 1333 Fax: +44 (0)20 8872 3197 ISSN 0029-6570 Email: [email protected] You can email staff at Nursing Standard in the following way: (first name).(second name)@rcnpublishing.co.uk Nursing Standard is published every Wednesday by RCN Publishing Company Ltd, the publishing company of the Royal College of Nursing. It seeks to promote professional excellence, and encourage creativity and innovation in nursing, midwifery and health visiting practice. Nursing Standard also aims to enhance nurses’ and healthcare assistants’ career development and to help them achieve and maintain a healthy and rewarding working environment. Nursing Standard is editorially independent and the opinions expressed are not those of the RCN or of the contributor’s employing organisation unless specifically stated. Acceptance of an advertisement does not constitute a recommendation or endorsement of a product or service, either by the RCN or RCN Publishing.
The pilot size is too small to analyse the disruption – to nurse supervisors and to patient care – of giving large numbers of HCAs the ability to rotate through specialties. Whatever lessons can be learned, any proposed changes must be more widely tested before implementation. Our research shows that some of those leaving the pilot decided they wanted to remain as HCAs, demonstrating that the role and its responsibilities can be distinct from nursing. It would be unfair if these HCAs were crowded out of their chosen career by people who have chosen to pursue a nursing degree. See news page 9 Air your views on
Nursing Standard and
@NScomment
Have your say by joining our weekly Twitter debate. Every Thursday from 12.30 to 1.30 use #NScomment and share your views with other nurses on a hot topic of the day february 19 :: vol 28 no 25 :: 2014 3
Nursing Standard 2014.28:3-3. Downloaded from journals.rcni.com by 117.253.102.178 on 11/10/15. For personal use only.
