Nursing award nominations at the double
Date of release: 18 October 2024
Two Nursing initiatives in Wolverhampton have been nominated for national awards to support staff retention and help patients.
Helen Hartill (left) and Kirsty Dyas together, and Kirsty signposting to the Virtual Ward
The community boot camp for budding Adult Community Nurses, and the remote digital monitoring by the Virtual Ward have been shortlisted for the Nursing Times Workforce Awards. The Virtual Ward is where patients are monitored at home by a two-way digital app.
The boot camp is one of 12 nominations in the Best Workplace for Learning and Development category, and the remote digital monitoring as one of 11 initiatives in the Best Use of Workplace Technology section.
Both initiatives are from The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust (RWT) community teams based at Wolverhampton Science Park, Bushbury.
The boot camp was launched in November 2022 by Hayley Langford as a fast-track, five-week training course, initially set up to improve recruitment and retention in Planned Care District Nursing.
Since then, some 40 Nurses have graduated from six boot camps, and it is now offered to all newcomers to Adult Community Nursing.
It has attracted interest from staff at other local Trusts and further afield, as well as other organisations seeking to follow its success.
“We’re delighted and excited to have received this recognition,” said Sue Houghton, Community Practice Education Facilitator and new leader of the boot camp with Helen Esty.
Staff involved with the boot camp. Back (from left): Lorraine Jones, Tissue Viability Lead (RWT and Walsall Healthcare), Helen Carrington, Care Facilitator, Ramanpreet Bal, Specialist Clinical Pharmacist, Hayley Langford, Matron of Planned Care District Nurses, Leigh Dillon, Interim Deputy Head of Nursing Division 3, Alexandra Devers, Service Delivery Manager of Planned Care District Nurses, Julie Collins, Care Facilitator, and Rebecca Westwood, Tissue Viability Team Leader. Front (from left): Susan Houghton, Community Practice Education Facilitator, Emily Machin, Community Staff Nurse of District Nurse West Team, Deidre O'Donnell, Community Staff Nurse of District Nurse East Team, Hayley Haynes, Community Staff Nurse of District Nurse South Team, Tim Clarke, Community Staff Nurse of District Nurse South Team, and Helen Esty, Community Practice Education Facilitator.
“This programme was established because we were recruiting newly-qualified Nurses to our community teams, but they were leaving within 12 months.
“New starters felt frustrated due to limited support and development in their role as autonomous practitioners.
“This programme has not only helped keep staff but attracted interest locally and other areas.”
Kirsty Dyas and Helen Hartill, Digital Nurses – Virtual Ward, said: “We feel privileged and proud to have been shortlisted for this award, and of the work and accomplishments we have achieved in the short time since creating our roles.
“The Virtual Ward is now working on providing acute-level care at home for patients.
“We have utilised various ways of remote monitoring for our patients to allow them to take responsibility of their condition with medical input.
“This has been achieved by working closely with a designated representative, allowing immediate, quick alterations and updates for 21 pathways on the app.”
Most patients are monitored three times daily, while some long-term COPD patients are monitored weekly.
Supportive patients who are Gold Standard Framework (GSF) palliative – those with a terminal diagnosis but not at end of life or nearing it – are managed by District Nurses monthly, or as they require medications and treatment.
Kirsty and Helen have also created one-to-one training including competencies for the Luscii app for staff, who have access to self-help videos.
They added: “Staff have found the app easy to use, and since we’ve been in position in February 2024 feedback received is that we have made the application and system user friendly.”
Winners will be announced on Thursday, 28 November 2024 at The Royal Lancaster Hotel, London.
ENDS
- For further information, please call Tim Nash on 07714 741097 or email tim.nash2@nhs.net
