Media Release
Date: 1 May 2014
RUH wins at Student Nursing Times Awards
The Royal United Hospital Bath has been named the best hospital for student nurse placements at today's 2014 Student Nursing Times Awards.
The award recognises those hospital wards and environments that manage the anxieties attached to going on placement by providing a structured learning environment that helps the student to flourish.
Every day up to 115 student nurses are on a work placement at the RUH, with students spending between five and 12 weeks on site learning important skills that they will continue to use throughout their careers.
Three members of staff from the RUH and two representatives from the University of the West of England attended the awards ceremony in London following an application process which included a presentation to a panel of judges. The attendees were Education Lead Linda Chapman, Deputy Director of Nursing Mary Lewis, Junior Sister and student nurse mentor Lisa Foxwell, Academic in Practice Fiona Bastow from the University of the West of England, and student nurse Bethany Nall.
Director of Nursing Helen Blanchard said: "We are delighted to win the award in recognition of the high-quality placements given to student nurses from staff across our hospital. This is a significant acknowledgement of all the hard work and commitment from staff who support and care for our student nurses.
"This would not have been achieved without the work of our dedicated mentors, who are instrumental in the co-ordination of student's placements, ensuring that student nurses can learn from safe and interesting placements and develop them into excellent staff nurses. This success is mainly as a result of effective team working between many staff and specialists, support from senior nurses and managers and our close partnership with academics from the University of the West of England. Winning this award is a way of recognising and thanking everyone involved for the outstanding work they do."