Posted 16 August 2021 - 14:41
Posted 16 August 2021 - 14:41
News
GOSH issues badges to help ‘empower’ overseas nurses
London hospital wants to stress that nurses new to UK are highly skilled
London hospital wants to stress that nurses new to UK are highly skilled
A famous children’s hospital in London has introduced a badge for overseas nurses to make it clear that while they may be new to the UK they are highly skilled.
The badges are being offered to newly recruited overseas nurses at Great Ormond Street Hospital (GOSH) as part of efforts to help them settle in.
Hospital wants badges to start conversations between new nurses and other staff
A spokesperson for Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust stressed that the badges were not the result of the nurses being made to feel unwelcome. ‘It wasn’t to do with them not being accepted.
‘It was to help signal that these are highly skilled individuals but they are new to the country and are working in an unfamiliar environment. We also want the badges to start conversations between the new nurses and other staff.’
A recruitment drive by the hospital to attract 50 nurses from the Philippines has seen groups arriving in January, March, June and July this year. It said the badges were introduced in response to feedback from the nurses themselves.
The badges are bright yellow and emblazoned with the message: ‘I’m new here. I am experienced in what I do but I’m new to the area. Please be patient.’
GOSH’s lead nurse for nursing workforce Jordan Benstead said: ‘We’ve been working hard to listen to their experiences and help our international nurses feel welcomed and part of the team.’
Drive to recruit overseas nurses to fill widespread vacancies
Mr Benstead said the badges had received ‘great feedback from everyone who has heard about them’ including new overseas nurses. ‘We hope they will make them feel empowered to embark on a fantastic career as part of the GOSH family.’
The initiative comes as trusts across the UK ramp up efforts to recruit overseas nurses in a bid to fill widespread vacancies.
It also follows similar projects at other NHS organisations to support newly qualified nursing staff and ensure colleagues and patients are aware they are just starting out on their nursing careers.
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