BSc Nursing Adult Programme BNAP had already been running since Feb 2015, to promote this programme a flyer was sent out to 120,300 homes within the local area asking if anyone was interested in becoming a nurse, interested parties went to a website to register their interest.
Interestingly we received 87 responses from people who did not have the academic qualifications to start their nurse training, but were clearly keen to study nursing.
This prompted us to develop a programme to support these people to get the qualifications to enter undergraduate nurse training.
The usual minimum academic entry criteria for BNAP is a 2 year access course, we met with Preston’s college and developed a level 3 Clinical Healthcare Apprenticeship over 12 months (Pre-Nursing Apprenticeship – PNA), sharing the delivery of the programme.
University of Bolton agreed that as the PNA is delivered by Trust staff and the aspirant nurses are working on our wards they will accept this programme as entry criteria into BNAP.
The interviews for BNAP are held within the Trust, we have therefore been able to guarantee interviews for all PNA students who wish to progress onto nurse training.
The Pre-Nursing Apprenticeship has been developed as a direct result of Lancashire Teaching Hospitals listening to our local population.
We asked if they would like to train to become nurses and they answered yes, however they said “we need more help in developing the skills to allow us to apply for university”.
We then answered by developing this programme.
It shows how a staffing need can be addressed by talking to and working with our education partners.
We currently have 94 apprentices registered on the programme with 3 more cohorts still to be recruited to.
From our year one intakes we envisage 50 graduates from PNA will progress onto our BSc Nursing Adult Programme; this is 50 additional people who without completing the pre-nursing apprenticeship programme would not be able to fulfil their potential and train to become a qualified nurse and help fill some of our vacancies.
Some quotes from our current apprentices 8 months into their course show the value of this programme.
“I am going to try my hardest to complete the level 3 diploma and go onto university and become a staff nurse”
“I am regularly thanked by patients and have been commended for going the extra mile on several occasions”
“I have set myself a goal of becoming an advanced nurse practitioner within 10 years of qualifying”
“I have received unending support from Preston’s College and the Clinical Nurse Tutors at LTHTR”
“I want to progress onto a ward sisters post”
“I want to be a specialist palliative care nurse”