Our first cohort of Nursing Cadets have successfully completed their 15-month pathway programme and have all now secured a place to train as Nursing Associates.
We launched the Cadet programme at the James Paget in early 2021 to provide a new route into nursing at our hospital. Anyone aged 17 or over who was thinking of becoming a nurse was invited to apply and three - Katy McWhinney, Morgan Docwra and Jasmine Hawthorne – were selected to pioneer the initiative at the Paget.
The Cadets programme is designed to encourage younger and older people with a caring personality, or care background, to consider a career in nursing even if they may not have met the minimum maths, English or care qualification level to apply for other training opportunities. The initiative supports individuals to complete a Level 2 Healthcare Support Worker qualification, their care certificate and English and Mathematics qualifications if Cadets don’t already have these.
This is an apprenticeship programme, with an apprenticeship wage, and a clear pathway following successful completion of the 15-month Healthcare Support Worker Level 2 contract so that Cadets then progress onto the two-year Trainee Nursing Associate programme with the UEA. This will enable individuals to work as Registered Nursing Associates.
Katy, Morgan and Jasmine undertook their course with West Suffolk College as a 12 month programme with three months for end point assessment.
Last week there was a special celebration, with our Deputy Director of Nursing Jacky Copping joining two of the cadets and some of those involved in their training, to mark the completion of the programme.
Stacey Wright, HCA Practice Facilitator, said; “This programme showcases the Trust’s ongoing commitment to ‘growing our own’ – training our future nursing and health care workforce – and we’d like to say a massive well done to our Cadets. Katy, Morgan and Jasmine have worked extremely hard over the last 15 months and we wish them well in their future studies.”