Students and uni staff answer the call
Hundreds join up to help with national effort
Almost 400 student nurses – and up to nine staff – from the University of Stirling are joining healthcare workers on the frontline in the battle against coronavirus.
As part of the emergency response, the UK and Scottish Governments called upon all student nurses – apart from those in first year – to support the national effort by choosing to fulfil their next placement as a paid member of NHS staff.
So far, 396 student nurses from Stirling have volunteered for the initiative, which will see them continue to work towards their degrees as planned, while gaining valuable experience on the frontline and providing vital support to NHS colleagues. That number is expected to increase further in the coming days.
In addition, nine members of clinically trained university staff are in discussions with the NHS, with a view to returning to provide support.
Professor Jayne Donaldson, Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport, said: “I am very proud that our dedicated and talented army of student nurses, alongside staff from the university, have stepped forward to support the national effort.
“Our students can take confidence from the training and skills that they’ve learned and honed during their time at Stirling – and I know they will make a real difference to the coronavirus response and play an important role in ensuring the health and wellbeing of patients.
“I know our entire university community will join me in thanking our students and staff for their phenomenal response – and wish them all the best as they join the frontline in the coming weeks.”
It was a simple decision. People are ill; the NHS needs nurses and doctors; I am training to be a nurse and have skills that could help. I wouldn’t be able to just sit at home Nicola Phillips
NHS Forth Valley director of nursing Professor Angela Wallace said: “We really appreciate the support of our student colleagues at this challenging time and I know they will receive a very warm welcome from nursing and midwifery staff across NHS Forth Valley.”
Nicola Phillips, a mother-of-two, served in the Army before opting to study Adult Nursing at Stirling. She is now in her second year and is driven to support her NHS colleagues during this pandemic.
She said: “It was quite a simple decision for me: People are ill; the NHS needs nurses and doctors; I am training to be a nurse and have skills that could help. I wouldn’t be able to just sit at home.”
For the duration of her next placement, she will join NHS Forth Valley. She added: “I do feel some anxiety about my decision to help, especially as I have a family, but I don’t really think about fear. I am just desperate to go out there and help – that overrides my anxiety.
“I will be supporting the nurses in whatever way I can and will be gaining valuable experience at the same time. Some of the nurses I’ll be working with have guided and mentored me through my journey so far – so it’s only natural that I want to give back and help them too.”