Student nurses step forward in response to Covid-19

Five undergraduate student nurses have stepped forward to play their part in the Haven House response to the Covid-19 pandemic in partnership with our local hospital trust Barts health.

The students have just entered their third year and are carrying out extended six-month placements with Barts Health NHS Trust. Along with a number of other students they have come from several higher education institutes, including City, East Anglia and Greenwich university – and are supporting the hospice’s clinical services.

Eileen White Director of Care at Haven House said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to have five student nurses who are now employees of Barts health with us for an eight-week placement who will work as Band 3 health care staff. I am delighted that they have actively chosen Haven House as their preferred placement area; sharing our passion for supporting babies, children and young people with life limiting and life-threatening conditions.

“We are extremely proud of these students who are keen to expand their knowledge, skills and experience in the specialist field that is children’s palliative care. We have been working in partnership with our local NHS partners to look at our workforce challenges in an innovative and sustainable way. Having this extra resource will strengthen our team, raise awareness of the work of children’s hospices and reinforce our ties with the NHS. As our students qualify, we hope that these placements are a spring board to a happy and successful career within children’s palliative care.”

Kath Evans, Director of Children’s Nursing at Barts Health and the Children and Young People’s Lead for the East London Health and Care Integrated Care System explained the importance of all parts of the local system working together to provide care for babies, children and young people, whilst also growing and developing the workforce of the future.

She said: “Students are a tremendous asset and we are so grateful they have offered to continue delivering care during this pandemic, our local children’s hospices are a vital part of the system of care and to strengthen our partnerships further with these placements is wonderful and we are grateful to the Haven House team for the welcome they have given them.’

I have been given the opportunity to work with Haven House children’s hospice on placement as part of my training at university and contract with Barts health. Although I was quite nervous to start due to the negative stereotypes surrounding hospices, I am really enjoying my time here. The staff are incredibly supportive and I have learned so much already. I feel very lucky to be working with such amazing staff an children and I am looking forward to further supporting families in this difficult period.

Timi, University of East Anglia (pictured).

We are Haven House... watch our film: