Coventry University ranked one of the best for student nursing placements

Coventry University has come second in a national league table showing students’ satisfaction with their nursing placements.

The table is based on new analysis of the National Student Survey by the Nursing Times which asked students if they agreed with six statements about their placements. 

These included if they had received sufficient preparatory information, been allocated a suitable placement for their course, and had received appropriate supervision.

The survey also asked if students felt their contribution to the clinical team during placements was valued, if their mentor understood how their experience was related to wider requirements of their course and if they felt they had opportunities to meet practice learning outcomes.

Responses from Coventry University students scored an average of 95.8 per cent and ranged between 93 per cent and 97 per cent.

Nursing students carry out placements at hospitals and in community settings across the region, with organisations such as University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust, George Eliot Hospital, in Nuneaton, and South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust.

Professor Guy Daly, executive dean for the University's Faculty of Health and Life Sciences, said: 

“The NHS is rightly held in the country's highest affections and we are proud to be investing in placements for our students to prepare them to become the healthcare workers and leaders of the future and to help overcome these difficulties. 
“Placements are a vital core element of our nursing courses, and we work hard to ensure that our students get the best out of them.
“I would like to thank our partner organisations for helping to ensure our students have such a rewarding and useful experience while on placement.”

Final year nursing student Britt Doran said thanks to a successful placement at Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership NHS Trust during her training she has already landed a job as a community nurse within the team.

Britt, 21, who studies at Coventry University, said:

“I believe the placement helped me get the job. I knew how they worked, so I knew what they wanted.The placements have been my favourite part of my course. Practising what you have been taught in university makes you feel like a real nurse.“All my placements have helped me in different ways. It's been nice to be able to experience the different places I could potentially work.” 

Nina Fraser, chief nursing officer at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust, said: 

“We are proud of our student nurses and see them as crucial members of our teams. 
“We work in partnership with Coventry University to ensure placements are beneficial for our student nurses, that they are well supported by other colleagues and they get to experience just how rewarding nursing can be first hand. 
“Our long standing relationship with Coventry University means that together we are helping train world class nurses of the future and I’m pleased this has been recognised.”

Julie Purvis, professional development and practice lead for Coventry and Warwickshire Partnership Trust, said:  

“The trust recognises the importance of providing high quality practice learning experiences for students. Whilst in practice, students are supported by mentors, who have undertaken an approved NMC mentor and assessing course. Students are able to practice, under supervision and develop their skills within a supportive learning environment. The trust hold a mentor register and practice facilitators strive to update each mentor annually and particularly support mentors with ‘struggling students’. Student nurses evaluate their placement experiences and the trust receive excellent feedback.”

Helen Lancaster, director of nursing at South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust, said: 

“We really value student nurses. As the future generation of nursing they play a key part in the NHS and we work closely with Coventry University to ensure they have a positive, constructive and informative placement whilst they are at South Warwickshire NHS Foundation Trust.”

Michelle Norton, director of nursing, at George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust, said: 

“We work hard to ensure that placements at George Eliot Hospital NHS Trust are varied for all of the students who work with us. We feel that positive placements are a vital part of a student nurse’s learning experience and work closely with Coventry University to ensure that they are a useful, first-rate experience for students."