The Isle of Wight NHS Trust has just celebrated its first cohort of registered nurse degree apprentices, who have completed their nursing qualifications in partnership with The Open University (OU).

Like many other NHS organisations across the country, the Trust has found it challenging to recruit enough nursing professionals to fill vacancies. This new programme, which was designed with the OU, has increased the number of registered nurses and nursing associates on the island.

22 registered nurses have graduated this year, including part-time apprentices, who were recruited on a four-year registered nurse degree training programme in 2018 and full-time apprentices, who began a three-year registered nurse degree training programme in 2019.

All of the apprentices have met the qualification requirements to successfully register with the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which provides them with the license to practise within specialisms in adult, mental health and learning disabilities.

The Trust’s collaboration with the OU has enabled people living on the Isle of Wight to attain vital skills to deliver effective, safe and responsive nursing care. It has also helped to increase the number of registered nurses and nursing associates recruited to the Trust, with a total of 70 nursing apprentices currently on track to qualify on one of the two programme pathways.

Juliet Pearce, Director of Nursing, Midwifery and AHPs Isle of Wight NHS Trust, said:

“It’s a delight to see our apprentices qualify as registered nurses, they are a key part of the multidisciplinary teams that meet the health and care needs of patients and service users on the island.

“The OU learning model works well for our nursing apprentices, with blended learning and it is extremely flexible. Being an island, not everybody can commit to travel to mainland universities.

“So, the distance learning and the support from the OU allows staff to stay on the island and learn and train. That’s why the model from the OU works so well for us.”

Isobel Wells, Registered Nurse, Isle of Wight NHS Trust said:

“The registered nurse apprenticeship course has been absolutely amazing. I have been able to learn on the job, make friends and do all my learning from home.

“I’d recommend this course to anyone I know; it is such a great opportunity to become a nurse and not have to move away to go to a university. Three years down the line, I have finished and am now a registered nurse. I would never be where I am now without this apprenticeship.”

Dr Rebecca Garcia, Associate Head of School, Nursing and Health Professions at the OU, commented:

“The OU’s registered nurse degree apprenticeship and nursing associate higher apprenticeship programmes offers an innovative and flexible delivery model, which is available 24/7 via our virtual learning environment. Combined with the practical skills that students learn on the hospital floor, it’s easy to understand why the programme is so popular.

“We’re really proud of our partnership with the Isle of Wight NHS Trust and are thrilled that our first cohorts of apprentices have graduated. Congratulations to all – it’s a huge achievement!”