International nursing recruits go from strength to strength, says boss

Congratulations to our latest cohort of international recruits for passing their exams, which means they can practise as qualified nurses.

All eight nurses from cohort one of the latest international recruitment project, passed their Objective Structured Clinical Exam (OSCE) and we are very proud to welcome them to work at the Trust.

Currently, we have over 500 international recruits that come from a wide range of countries, all with one goal – to serve our communities and provide our patients with high-quality care, dignity, and respect.

During a 16-week OSCE programme, cohorts learn and practise over 20 clinical skills to a very high standard. Once passed they begin their roles as nurses in both acute hospitals.

The International Nursing Team is currently supporting up to 60 nurses at various stages of OSCE preparation. These nurses will not only work for our Trust but also Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital, Shropshire Community Health NHS Trust and Midlands Partnership Foundation Trust. Prior to taking OSCE they complete a clinical placement, giving them valuable time to get to know their teams, the Trust and how their clinical area is managed.

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Volunteers play such a crucial role in our hospitals and I would like to thank them for all that they do.

They make such a difference to our patients, their relatives and also my colleagues.

We are seeking volunteers to support capturing patient feedback whilst in hospital, in addition to befriending patients who would benefit from additional company whilst in hospital.

Some patients may be isolated from people important to them or they may have little contact with their community whilst in hospital, so a visit and a chat can help make someone’s day a little better.

Our volunteers will carry out short satisfaction surveys so we can analyse trends, celebrate achievements and fix problems.

If you think that you can help, you will need to be aged 16 or above; commit four hours or more a week for at least six months and complete recruitment checks and training

To read more and apply, please click here sath.nhs.uk/working-with-us/volunteering

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Pete Checketts, an anaesthetics trainee currently working at Princess Royal Hospital in Telford, is planning to hike 85 miles in the spring for charity. He has already raised nearly £650 thanks to his colleagues.

He will be hiking for five to six days across the highest 20 Shropshire hills to raise funds for Doctors in Distress, a charity aimed at preventing suicide in healthcare workers.

Pete is aiming to raise awareness and funds for the charity. If you would like to support Pete his JustGiving page can be found here: justgiving.com/fundraising/shropshire20challenge