NEWLY qualified nurse? Then put Saturday May 12 in your diary because The Royal Bournemouth and Christchurch Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is holding a special recruitment day.

The event is an opportunity for nurses to find out what it’s like to work at RBCH, have a tour of the hospital and meet the teams in the areas they’d like to work. Nurses who have been through the newly qualified pathway in the last couple of years will also be on hand to talk to applicants.

The Trust runs its own preceptorship programme; a year-long support and mentorship programme for newly qualified nurses, and the recruitment day comes at a time when the hospital is celebrating outstanding results in the NHS National Staff Survey. Nearly 80 per cent of staff said they felt able to contribute towards improvements at work and more than 80 per cent were satisfied with their level of responsibility and involvement. Ninety three per cent of staff at RBCH agreed that their role makes a difference to patients and other service users

Deputy sister Alana Calderwood, a former Bournemouth University student, said: “I studied adult nursing at Bournemouth Uni and came to RBCH on placement. After graduating I joined RBCH and haven’t looked back. I benefited from the great preceptorship programme that all newly qualified nurses go through and after working as a nurse and nurse practitioner I was promoted to deputy ward sister. I love working here – we’re a fantastic team and we’re supported to achieve our ambitions, whatever they may be.”

Sue Davies, Matron for Surgery, said: “We’re really looking forward to welcoming newly qualified nurses to meet #TeamRBCH and find out what it’s like to work here. Our current nursing vacancies include positions in our Emergency Department, Acute Medical Unit, stroke services, older person’s medicine, surgical speciality wards, emergency surgery, theatres, anaesthetics and cancer care.”

Those wishing to attend the day should apply online by 29 April, she said.