GCU nursing students head to the frontline

Over 500 Glasgow Caledonian University nursing students are joining the NHS frontline to help the health service deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

The students, some of whom are yet to graduate have started paid placements across a number of NHS health boards in Scotland, after being recruited through the NHS Education for Scotland (NES).

On Monday 30 March, the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said that 5,000 students and former health care workers had expressed an interest in helping the NHS during the crisis. Over 10% of these recruits are final year Glasgow Caledonian University students.

Professor Jacqueline McCallum, Head of GCU’s Department of Nursing and Community Health, said:

“We are immensely proud of more than 500 of our third-year students who will be starting paid placements with the NHS at this critical time. The students are well prepared, having developed their skills and knowledge by assessing and caring for a wide range of patients, including those whose conditions have been deteriorating. The clinical skills that the students have been developing are highly relevant to the current COVID-19 pandemic.”

Students at Glasgow Caledonian University have access to facilities at the city centre campus which include state-of-the-art simulation centres which has prepared students for working in hospitals.

Natalie Elliott from the GCU Nursing Society said:

“GCU has actively sought out students’ concerns and have tried to answer them as best they can – but only with facts and not with speculation. It has been clear that staff have been working incredibly hard to ensure that students are not disadvantaged at this time, but also ensuring that our education is in no way impacted, allowing us to flourish as future nurses of the NHS.”

If you are looking for information on accelerated recruitment please go to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Recruitment section of the NHS NES website.

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