MY Career - Nursing

The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust and University of Bradford School of Nursing and Healthcare Leadership

We have partnered with The University of Bradford to establish an on-site nursing school and degree programme at Dewsbury and District Hospital.

The school aims to boost nursing recruitment for our Trust and widen degree course participation in the local area by offering The University of Bradford's existing pre-registration BSc (Hons) Nursing programme in Adult Nursing.

Clinical practice experience makes up 50% of time on this three year programme, which has a single intake in April. 

For further information about the programme please visit the University of Bradford's course page. Here you will find information on:

• entry requirements
• how to apply
• study modules
• learning and assessment methods
• career prospects.

Staff currently working in our Trust are encouraged to apply if they hold relevant qualifications and are interested in progressing to a Registered Nurse role.

What our students say

Jemma Pickering, tells us a little bit about the degree programme:

"One of the best things about the course is that it's 50% theory and 50% placement. It's based at Dewsbury Hospital, which familiarised us within the Trust from day one. I particularly enjoyed the clinical skills within the course, as this is a place we could make mistakes and improve our skills, without risking patient care. It allowed for us to practice our skills and ensured we did the correct procedures on the “patient manikins” rather than a real patient.

The assessments were nerve-wracking, however the lecturers are all very approachable and ‘human’, so this was delivered informally and ensured a more relaxed environment.

The support received from the university is second to none, and because they are in collaboration with the Trust, they work together to deliver sessions, giving it a family feel.

My advice to anyone considering joining the school of nursing is GO FOR IT! 100%! Just ensure you are organised, buy a diary and keep up to date with your studies and you won't go far wrong. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!”

Facilities

All teaching will take place in our Oakwell Centre at Dewsbury and District Hospital, where there are purpose-designed facilities for students, which enable an exciting range of teaching and learning opportunities to be provided.

Work before you study

Our Trust will offer a fixed term contract of employment as a Healthcare Assistant to successful applicants who accept their offer of study with the University of Bradford.  This will give applicants an opportunity to gain some experience working in the Trust before the start of the programme in April.

Earn whilst you learn

Once you have enrolled on the programme you will be given the option to work shifts (NHSP) at our Trust on the days when there is no teaching.

Contact us

The Mid Yorkshire Teaching NHS Trust

University of Bradford

Our three step career pathway was introduced to enable clear identification of where a Band 5 nurse is in their career journey, what training they have undertaken/need to complete and to easily identify the level of competence of each nurse.

In addition this pathway provides clear identification of nurses that have the transferable and interchangeable skills to support permanent wards and/or extra capacity wards.

The pathway consists of three levels:

• Fresher Nurse / Registered Nurse Graduates
• Junior Nurse
• Senior Nurse

Nurses are identified by a coloured logo sticker that is attached to their name badge. The results from our evaluation of this approach the majority of adult inpatient areas are using this approach.

We have a dedicated Professional Development and Education Unit (PDEU), who are leading the way nationally with their award-winning programme for supporting newly qualified nurses to make the transition from students to registered nurses.

Our Graduate Nurse programme is designed to promote the values and culture of the Trust as a positive workplace which staff enjoy being a part of. The Graduate Nurse Programme has been planned around the needs of what new nurses told us they wanted:

• to work in a supportive team
• reasonable workloads and staffing
• job satisfaction
• to feel valued
• to have a pleasant working environment.

Our Navigator Programme is an excellent way to expand and build your career portfolio. If you are a newly qualified nurse and unsure of the area you want to specialise in, or an experienced nurse looking to expand your knowledge and skills in all areas of a speciality, the Navigator Programme is ideal.

Each Navigator Programme will provide you with the opportunity to rotate between divisional specialities or cross divisions depending on the pathway chosen. This programme runs for 16 months, with nurses spending four months in each of the their four chosen areas. At the end of the rotation you will be offered priority to work in their preferred areas.

We deliver two cohorts of a twelve month RCN Clinical Leadership Programme, aimed at aspiring and current clinical leaders who feel they would like to develop their leadership skills further at Band 6 and 7 or equivalent.

Throughout the programme candidates will develop their leadership skills using a bespoke coaching framework and throughout the programme will:

• lead a service improvement project in their workplace
• learn the most effective way to manage change in the clinical environment
• experience coaching as a supportive development tool and understand how to coach colleagues.

Are you a caring person who likes helping people? Do you want to find out if a career in healthcare is for you? Try out our Volunteer to Career pilot programme…

This is a brand-new programme which provides a direct route in to work in the healthcare sector. It’s ideal for people who are interested in a career in healthcare and would like to try out the role to see if it’s for them. No other experience or qualifications are needed.

What are the benefits?

• This programme provides you with the skills and experience to apply for NHS jobs, including Health Care Assistant (HCA) roles.
• When you complete the programme, you’ll receive two nationally recognised qualifications: 1. National Volunteer Certificate and 2. The Care Certificate. These qualifications put you in a great position for securing a paid role with health and / or social care settings.

Does it cost anything?

It’s completely free of charge. You don’t have to pay for the training. You only need to volunteer your time at our Trust.

What does the programme involve?

• You will need to go through the recruitment process to become a volunteer.
• This is a 7 month programme with a commitment to complete 120 hours of volunteering (with a minimum commitment of 4 hours per week).
• You will be supported each step of the way and will have a mentor who will help you learn the skills you need. 

What will the work experience involve?

This will involve simulation training once per month at our Dewsbury Hospital site where you will learn and practice clinical skills. You will also gain ‘hands on’ practical clinical experience on a hospital ward where you will have the opportunity to work with patients and our clinical teams.

Preparing you for a paid for role and future employment

We will also support you with interview and application writing skills and a career discussion. On completion of the 7 month programme, you’ll be guaranteed an interview for a Health Care Assistant Role.

This pathway could be a great opportunity for you if:

• You are looking for a change in career.
• You’re not sure if a career in healthcare is for you and want to try it out before applying for a paid job or course.
• You are unemployed and do not have recent work experience or references.
• You have been off work for a long time due to ill health, or other reasons, and need a gradual route back into work.
• You are new to the UK and are looking for employment in healthcare.
• You have been turned down for jobs in the NHS due to lack of the right knowledge and experience.

Who can volunteer?

We welcome volunteer from all backgrounds across the communities we serve; including members of the public and current Trust staff.

You can take part in the Volunteer to Career programme from 16 and there is no upper age limit.

Refugees and asylum seekers are fully entitled to volunteer.

Claimants of Job Seeker’s Allowance (JSA) or Universal Credit, Income Support, Incapacity Benefit and Employment and Support Allowance may volunteer without their benefits being affected, provided they receive no more money than the reimbursement of out-of-pocket expenses. There is no limit on the number of hours, however job seekers must be available for and actively seeking paid work. Volunteering may count as part of your work preparation activities.

Mid Yorkshire Hospitals pays reasonable travel expenses to all volunteers, so you will not be out of pocket for your volunteering.

All volunteers are subject to background checks to ensure their suitability for volunteering.

How do I apply?

You can apply on our website here via the online form: http://bttr.im/vzh13 and also take a look at the recruitment process.

If you’re interested in this opportunity or would like further information, please contact our Voluntary Services Team on 01924 543451 or midyorks.volunteer@nhs.net