Posted 09 March 2021 - 16:30
Posted 09 March 2021 - 16:30
News
#HereforLife recruitment campaign tackles community nursing stereotypes
Social media drive aims to attract newly qualified nurses and shore up workforce
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust's social media drive aims to attract newly qualified nurses and shore up workforce
A trust is aiming to bust the myth that community nursing is just for older nurses, and offset a potential staff shortage in the future, through a new recruitment drive.
Northumbria Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust has launched its #HereforLife campaign to attract newly qualified nurses and those in other specialties to join its community nursing team.
Films and blogs feature community nurses dispelling myths and misconceptions about role
The trust’s chief matron for community services Jeanette Milne said the trust hopes the campaign, which will include films and blogs featuring community nurses, will help address some misconceptions about the role.
She said the trust employs 666 community nurses and, while they have a strong team, a significant number are approaching retirement age, with 140 (21%) aged over 55.
‘Many people believe community nursing is more suited to nurses looking to retire, however this couldn’t be further from the truth,’ she said. ‘Our aim is to bust this myth and encourage interest from all ages and backgrounds so that when the time comes, we will have a fully recruited workforce, and we won’t have to worry about a gap in employment.’
The trust is looking to recruit district nurses, community nurses, care practitioners and specialist nurses.
Ageing demographic in the community nursing workforce
An ageing demographic in the workforce is a concern for community nursing and other nursing disciplines.
A 2019 Queen’s Nursing Institute survey of 2,858 district nurses found the majority were aged over 45, with 45% planning to retire or leave the profession within six years.
In one of the trust’s promotional films, community nurse Dorothy Oparaeche also addresses a misconception that community nurses are less skilled than their counterparts.
‘I was told by a lot of people: “Don’t go into the community because you’re going to lose your skills”,’ she says. ‘But actually, it’s the opposite.’
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