Bid to help people into nurse jobs
FV College course is revived
A course has been revived through the Forth Valley University College NHS Partnership to help local people swap careers and enter into nursing.
The Scottish Wider Access Programme (SWAP) Access to Nursing course has returned to Forth Valley College to give opportunities to adults returning to study after a period away from education.
It is specifically designed for returners who do not have the necessary qualifications to gain a place on a Higher National (HN) course or a degree level university qualification.
However, successful completion of this course could lead to degree study at the University of Stirling, who are involved in the course selection process. It is hoped graduates from the course will provide a continuous number of highly trained nurses from the Forth Valley area, to help to support NHS Forth Valley.
The collaboration between the college, the University of Stirling and NHS Forth Valley – launched in October 2022 - aims to improve patient care and treatment for communities across the region for years to come.
Building on a long-standing relationship between the three institutions, it is working across four priority areas: learning, careers, research and innovation.
Subject areas covered in the revived course include: Communications, Numeracy, Care Higher units, ICT, Biology, Health Care units, and completion can allow students to progress onto degrees in Adult Nursing; Mental Health Nursing; Child Nursing; Learning Disabilities Nursing; and HNCS in Social Services; and Health Care Practice.
The programme is specifically designed for adults who are returning to education after a gap, and who have the motivation and ability to go on to study at university or for a higher level qualification at college.
FVC principal Professor Ken Thomson OBE said: “We are confident the students graduating from this course will go on to have a worthwhile and rewarding career. Once again it will assist NHS Forth Valley to plan their future workforce requirements and make sure that FVC can help them ‘Make Healthcare Learning Work’ in Forth Valley for generations to come.”
Professor Frances Dodd, Executive Nurse Director, NHS FV, said: “This access course is just one example of the many different routes to a new career in nursing. I’d encourage anyone who has an interest in nursing to find out more about the many opportunities and options available.
“It’s never too late to change careers and retrain as a nurse.”
The return of the Access to Nursing course comes hot on the heels of an announcement by the partnership of three new courses to lay the foundations for a career in the health and care sector, which are also recruiting now at FVC.
The courses are expected to be an exciting option for senior phase pupils who are considering progression to a health or care course at college or university.
More information on the innovative short courses: Prep for Care Practice; Introduction to Nursing; and Introduction to a Career in Social Care, can be found at https://www.forthvalley.ac.uk/about-us/ fvucnhspartnership/ or for more information visit https://fvnhsuniversitycollege.org.