Nurses at Medway Community Healthcare are celebrating being short listed for the Nursing Times Awards for Student Placement of the Year (Community).

In the last year, over 218 nurses have undertaken a placement with Medway Community Healthcare across a range of services including *specialist nursing, palliative care and community nursing in clinics, hospitals and people’s homes across Medway.

Medway Community Healthcare is one of nine health organisations across the UK short listed for the accolade, with the winner announced at a Gala event in London on 1 May 2013.

Laurina Moody, practice placement facilitator, at Medway Community Healthcare said: “Our students have told us that they enjoy their placements because they have the opportunity to care for patients with a variety of different health conditions; learning following rehabilitation after life threatening illness as well as supporting people with long-term conditions such as stroke and heart failure.

“Our students have also been among the first students locally to use electronic patient records while on their placement, which has given them an opportunity to use technology as part of patient care.”

Over 25 specially trained staff at Medway Community Healthcare support students during their placement to ensure that the team, student and their mentors are given the right support throughout the placement. A further 140 nurses have volunteered to train as student mentors. Skilled in encouraging self-development and confidence building, the mentors offer emotional support to students along with career advice as well as help them to get vital nursing experience.

Fiona Stephens, clinical quality director at Medway Community Healthcare, said: “I am delighted that we have been short listed by the Nursing Times for the Student Placement of the Year award.

“I congratulate everyone involved in the placement scheme, especially our nursing teams who do so much to support students to succeed in their learning as well as to give excellent care to patients throughout their time with us.”