Designed to bridge the gap between university study and working full-time in a hospital, preceptorship programmes help to develop the newly qualified nurses and allied health professional to refine their skills and familiarise themselves with the role. During this transitionary period, colleagues are given structured support from experienced clinicians and are afforded time to learn about best practice, in a setting where everyone else is also at the start of their journey.
The Trust has recently overhauled its approach to preceptorship, in an effort to standardise their offering, so that everyone gets the same level of support. Prior to the revamp, there were several bespoke programmes across the organisation, all of which were run in slightly different ways.
Under this new model, candidates are given the same ‘core’ teaching, which covers general topics like hospital amenities, conflict resolution and resuscitation. In addition to this, they are also invited to informative lectures and classroom sessions which are specifically tailored to their particular area and speciality.
Speaking about the new programme, Dr Alasdair Strachan, Director of Education at DBTH, said: ‘’Here at the Trust, we understand that the first 12 months after qualifying can be a very challenging for new starters. This is why we believe it is crucial to have a smooth transition in place to ease them in.
‘’Our new, standardised, preceptorship programme delivers just that. Not only does it help candidates through their first year, but they also offer continued support into the future. So far, we have received very encouraging feedback for our new starters and we are taking on suggestions to improve it even further’’.
This is the second year that the Nursing Times Workforce Awards will be running and they will be building upon last year’s success. With the introduction of three new categories, there will now be 14 hotly contended awards given out over the course of the evening. It is sure to be an inspiring ceremony that rewards those who have gone above and beyond to create an inclusive, supportive workplace in the NHS.
David Purdue, Deputy Chief Executive, said: ‘’ As a teaching hospital trust, we take the development and training of our staff very seriously. It is a great honour then, to be shortlisted for this highly prestigious award and to be recognised for our efforts. I am incredibly proud of our team, as I know how hard they have worked over the past year to implement these changes to our preceptorship offer’’.
Throughout the NHS, preceptorships are recognised as being a vital educational tool. They help enhance the competency of hospital staff, improve morale and enable better, safer care for patients.
The awards are scheduled to take place on Wednesday 25 September, at the Brewery in London.
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