Investing in wellbeing A pioneering apprenticeship scheme is helping to make hospital stays less stressful for patients with dementia. Alison Handley reports For patients with dementia a stay in hospital can be a disorientating and distressing experience, particularly if nursing staff are under pressure from numerous conflicting demands on their time. At one West Midlands trust, however, care teams are supplemented by wellbeing apprentices – a new role created to focus solely on the wellbeing
of vulnerable patients. Senior nurses and managers at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust say the wellbeing apprenticeship scheme benefits everyone. Inpatients with dementia and those deemed at high risk of falls receive valuable one-to-one support, while the young apprentices, aged from 16 upwards, gain work-based experience that
20 january 29 :: vol 28 no 22 :: 2014
could set them on the road to a career in nursing. Senior nurse and widening participation manager Mark Ingram explains that the role was introduced in October last year after the trust made improving the care of older people, particularly those with dementia, a priority. ‘We were not aware of anything like this anywhere else, so we created this role to meet our own needs,’ he says. The trust drew up a job description and placed an online advert through the National Apprenticeship Service. More than 120 young people were interviewed for 40 places.
NURSING STANDARD
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TIM GEORGE
Wellbeing apprentice Tammy-Jay Campbell assists patient Jack Johnson
SUMMARY
A trust in the West Midlands has introduced wellbeing apprentices to offer one-to-one support to patients with dementia or at high risk of falls. As well as providing companionship to ease patients’ stress during hospital stays, the young apprentices receive training that can set them on the path to a nursing career. Author Alison Handley is a freelance journalist
‘The role demands particular qualities and skills from the young people, including excellent communication and people skills, tolerance, patience and understanding,’ says Mr Ingram. ‘We were pleased to be able to recruit young people who possessed these skills. We also see this as an ideal opportunity for young people interested in working in a healthcare setting to start their careers with us.’ An intensive four-week induction for the apprentices includes training in dementia awareness, challenging behaviour, falls prevention, infection control and manual handling. The apprentices spend one day a week training in the trust’s Learning and Conference Centre; the rest of their time is spent in clinical areas with patients. They work towards a Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) Level 2 qualification and BTEC diploma in clinical health care and will be able to progress to the Level 3 qualifications after 12 months. After this, they have the opportunity to apply for a substantive post with the trust. A wellbeing apprentice is far from ‘just a sitter’, says QCF assessor and project lead Juanita Hughes. ‘The traditional sitter role is simply to sit and watch the patient and not really to do anything more with them. We do not see that role as particularly rewarding for the sitter and, from the patient’s point of view, it is rather patronising. ‘Our wellbeing apprentices respect the patient’s privacy and dignity, and concentrate on what they can do, rather than what
they cannot. That might involve helping with their personal care and mobility, reinforcing the work of our physiotherapy and occupational therapy teams, and promoting their social care and wellbeing.’ Wellbeing apprentices Jack Wildman and Tammy-Jay Campbell say they feel part of the team on the wards. Ms Campbell, 17, was studying dance at college when she decided it was not for her. ‘I had a look on the National Apprenticeship Service site and the wellbeing apprenticeship caught my eye
THE ROLE DEMANDS COMMUNICATION SKILLS, TOLERANCE, PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING – Mark Ingram straightaway. I have always been interested in working in health care and I thought this would give me the chance to gain some valuable experience and get paid into the bargain. ‘I was a bit nervous at first because the staff on the wards are exceptionally busy. But the nurses and the clinical support staff are always on hand to make sure we understand what to do and answer any queries.’
Apprenticeships: earn while you learn The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) funds and co-ordinates delivery of apprenticeships throughout England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own skills and development agencies that foster apprenticeships. An apprenticeship is a way for people to earn while they learn, in a real job, and gain qualifications. Apprentices must be at least 16 years old; there is no upper age limit. Apprenticeships are available at intermediate, advanced and higher (degree) level, covering more than 170 industries and 1,500 job roles, including a wide variety of posts in health and social care. The length of an apprenticeship varies; generally, apprenticeships take one to four years to complete. The national minimum wage for apprentices is £2.68 per hour, although many employers increase wages beyond this. In turn, NAS will cover training costs.
Ms Campbell is determined to complete the Level 2 and 3 qualifications and then apply for a job with the trust, initially as a clinical support worker. ‘Then I would like to consider nurse training,’ she says. Apprentices use books and old photographs to prompt patients to talk about their lives, and may accompany them to the hospital’s ‘reminiscence pod’, an area with 1950s furniture, where they can listen to the music of their youth. Mr Wildman, 18, enjoys the variety of the work. ‘One minute you might be talking to a patient about their life, looking at old photographs their relatives have brought in or taking them down to the pod, while the next you might be playing dominoes with them or reading to them. Some patients also need help washing or dressing, or at mealtimes. ‘We develop such a good relationship – they are not just a patient, they are a person.’ He says the role has confirmed his ambition to become a mental health nurse. ‘I am gaining insight into what working in a hospital involves and the realities of life on the wards. ‘I see it as a great opportunity for me personally and an opportunity to make a difference to someone’s stay in hospital.’ Feedback from patients and their families has also been positive. Ms Hughes says: ‘One lady stopped me to tell me what a lovely young apprentice she had and what a change it made to her emotional wellbeing to have someone to interact with.’ Director of nursing Kathryn Halford stresses that the wellbeing apprentices are an integral part of the care team. ‘This is not about hiving off compassionate care to a group of young apprentices,’ she says. ‘It is about strengthening the team and taking a holistic approach to the care of older people, which recognises their particular needs and responds to them with dignity and compassion’ NS
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of vulnerable patients. Senior nurses and managers at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust say the wellbeing apprenticeship scheme benefits everyone. Inpatients with dementia and those deemed at high risk of falls receive valuable one-to-one support, while the young apprentices, aged from 16 upwards, gain work-based experience that
20 january 29 :: vol 28 no 22 :: 2014
could set them on the road to a career in nursing. Senior nurse and widening participation manager Mark Ingram explains that the role was introduced in October last year after the trust made improving the care of older people, particularly those with dementia, a priority. ‘We were not aware of anything like this anywhere else, so we created this role to meet our own needs,’ he says. The trust drew up a job description and placed an online advert through the National Apprenticeship Service. More than 120 young people were interviewed for 40 places.
NURSING STANDARD
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TIM GEORGE
Wellbeing apprentice Tammy-Jay Campbell assists patient Jack Johnson
SUMMARY
A trust in the West Midlands has introduced wellbeing apprentices to offer one-to-one support to patients with dementia or at high risk of falls. As well as providing companionship to ease patients’ stress during hospital stays, the young apprentices receive training that can set them on the path to a nursing career. Author Alison Handley is a freelance journalist
‘The role demands particular qualities and skills from the young people, including excellent communication and people skills, tolerance, patience and understanding,’ says Mr Ingram. ‘We were pleased to be able to recruit young people who possessed these skills. We also see this as an ideal opportunity for young people interested in working in a healthcare setting to start their careers with us.’ An intensive four-week induction for the apprentices includes training in dementia awareness, challenging behaviour, falls prevention, infection control and manual handling. The apprentices spend one day a week training in the trust’s Learning and Conference Centre; the rest of their time is spent in clinical areas with patients. They work towards a Qualifications and Credit Framework (QCF) Level 2 qualification and BTEC diploma in clinical health care and will be able to progress to the Level 3 qualifications after 12 months. After this, they have the opportunity to apply for a substantive post with the trust. A wellbeing apprentice is far from ‘just a sitter’, says QCF assessor and project lead Juanita Hughes. ‘The traditional sitter role is simply to sit and watch the patient and not really to do anything more with them. We do not see that role as particularly rewarding for the sitter and, from the patient’s point of view, it is rather patronising. ‘Our wellbeing apprentices respect the patient’s privacy and dignity, and concentrate on what they can do, rather than what
they cannot. That might involve helping with their personal care and mobility, reinforcing the work of our physiotherapy and occupational therapy teams, and promoting their social care and wellbeing.’ Wellbeing apprentices Jack Wildman and Tammy-Jay Campbell say they feel part of the team on the wards. Ms Campbell, 17, was studying dance at college when she decided it was not for her. ‘I had a look on the National Apprenticeship Service site and the wellbeing apprenticeship caught my eye
THE ROLE DEMANDS COMMUNICATION SKILLS, TOLERANCE, PATIENCE AND UNDERSTANDING – Mark Ingram straightaway. I have always been interested in working in health care and I thought this would give me the chance to gain some valuable experience and get paid into the bargain. ‘I was a bit nervous at first because the staff on the wards are exceptionally busy. But the nurses and the clinical support staff are always on hand to make sure we understand what to do and answer any queries.’
Apprenticeships: earn while you learn The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) funds and co-ordinates delivery of apprenticeships throughout England. Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland each have their own skills and development agencies that foster apprenticeships. An apprenticeship is a way for people to earn while they learn, in a real job, and gain qualifications. Apprentices must be at least 16 years old; there is no upper age limit. Apprenticeships are available at intermediate, advanced and higher (degree) level, covering more than 170 industries and 1,500 job roles, including a wide variety of posts in health and social care. The length of an apprenticeship varies; generally, apprenticeships take one to four years to complete. The national minimum wage for apprentices is £2.68 per hour, although many employers increase wages beyond this. In turn, NAS will cover training costs.
Ms Campbell is determined to complete the Level 2 and 3 qualifications and then apply for a job with the trust, initially as a clinical support worker. ‘Then I would like to consider nurse training,’ she says. Apprentices use books and old photographs to prompt patients to talk about their lives, and may accompany them to the hospital’s ‘reminiscence pod’, an area with 1950s furniture, where they can listen to the music of their youth. Mr Wildman, 18, enjoys the variety of the work. ‘One minute you might be talking to a patient about their life, looking at old photographs their relatives have brought in or taking them down to the pod, while the next you might be playing dominoes with them or reading to them. Some patients also need help washing or dressing, or at mealtimes. ‘We develop such a good relationship – they are not just a patient, they are a person.’ He says the role has confirmed his ambition to become a mental health nurse. ‘I am gaining insight into what working in a hospital involves and the realities of life on the wards. ‘I see it as a great opportunity for me personally and an opportunity to make a difference to someone’s stay in hospital.’ Feedback from patients and their families has also been positive. Ms Hughes says: ‘One lady stopped me to tell me what a lovely young apprentice she had and what a change it made to her emotional wellbeing to have someone to interact with.’ Director of nursing Kathryn Halford stresses that the wellbeing apprentices are an integral part of the care team. ‘This is not about hiving off compassionate care to a group of young apprentices,’ she says. ‘It is about strengthening the team and taking a holistic approach to the care of older people, which recognises their particular needs and responds to them with dignity and compassion’ NS
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