90 newly registered nurses are joining The Rotherham NHS Foundation; the highest number of newly registered nurses ever recruited in its history.
This achievement marks a substantial increase from previous years and highlights the Trust’s dedicated efforts to attract and retaining staff.
The new nurses will work across the hospital and community settings.
The Trust’s efforts have not gone unnoticed having been shortlisted as a finalist for Best UK Employer of the Year for Nursing Staff at this year’s Nursing Times Workforce Awards, recognising its innovative approach to addressing nurse turnover and improving staff satisfaction.
Cindy Storer, Deputy Chief Nurse, said: “We are thrilled to give a warm welcome to such a large cohort of talented new nurses and we are pleased that these new graduates have chosen us for their first nursing post.
“We listened carefully to feedback from our previous graduates who described leadership and support from their new teams as important to them when choosing their first post.”
To further enhance the experience of new nurses, the Trust has launched several initiatives, including an education and development programme for all registered nurses. The Trust has also achieved accreditation for its preceptorship programme, which provides structured support for nurses in the first year of qualifying. We also have an Acorn badge scheme to help identify newly registered nurses undergoing preceptorship.
Newly registered nurses have been attracted to the Trust thanks to some recent developments and initiatives, including team rostering which gives team members a voice in what shifts they work, increased numbers of Professional Nurse Advocates who can provide support and supervision to registered nurses, and bespoke career pathways to meet the ongoing education and development needs to support career progression.
Over the past year, the Trust has seen significant improvements in patient experience feedback from the CQC Inpatient Survey, and from the NHS staff survey. By prioritising employee wellbeing, career development, and recognition, the Trust has created a supportive and engaging work environment.