The first year students learned skills from professionals from across the North West including mental health assessment; stitches and sutures; identifying sepsis; wound care; plaster casting; an introduction to pharmacology; safeguarding and diabetes management at the day held in collaboration with the RCN Cheshire West branch at the University’s Marriss House in Birkenhead.
The students also had the chance to meet therapy dogs Amos and Toby along with receiving massages from a qualified therapist. The event was sponsored by the RCN and also brought together a range of local charities and organisations such as the Spider Project, Autism Together and Age UK.
The event was organised by Lecturers Dean McShane, Bex Bailey-McHale and Vez Oldfied in collaboration with Hayley Cooper, Chair of the Cheshire West Branch of the RCN.
Dean said: “This was a fantastic event that gave our students nurses a taste of what is to come over their next three years of training but also highlighted the importance of wellbeing and maintaining their own health.
“We are already planning a similar event for 2020 (Year of the Nurse) for our third year Nursing students.”
Senior Regional Officer for the RCN, Sumbo Campbell, also came along and delivered sessions on Professionalism to the students. She said: “Nursing is a hugely rewarding profession but one which asks a lot of its staff in terms of their time and commitment. It is hugely important that our students begin their training fully aware of the need to prioritise their own welfare and this excellent event provided a great many pointers on how to do so.”
