Lecturer’s Collaborative Research Published in Healthcare Journal

Nicki Walsh, Senior lecturer (and Programme Lead for Health and Social Care) in the School of Social Science at Bishop Grosseteste University (BGU), has been published alongside Rachael Mason, Practice Placement Development Worker at the University of Lincoln, for their collaborative evaluation of management placements for nursing students in UK general practice.

General Practice is facing a shortage of nurses and it can be difficult to recruit and retain staff. Nursing students need exposure to Primary Care nursing roles if they are to consider them in their future career and to develop the skills needed for this environment.

To help combat this shortage and boost opportunities a study was designed to explore the experiences and perceptions of students on their final placement in general practice. The collected data was then thematically analysed and three themes were derived from the data: myth busting, the teaching and learning environment, and attaining competency.

This work continues with the local Primary Care services with a Health Education England funded project with Lincs West CCG and Lincolnshire STP which is piloting training posts for Nurses new to General Practice. This will be supported by BGU in terms of Educational provision, consultation and advice as well as evaluation.

The evaluation can be found in the journal ‘Primary Healthcare’ volume 28, issue 7 (34-41. doi: 10.7748/phc.2018.e1443).

For registered healthcare professionals looking to pursue a career in Primary Care, BGU’s new MSc Primary and Community Care (along with the forth coming PGCert in General Practice Nursing) is the ideal way to learn and perfect the Fundamental skills required to start in roles dedicated to Primary Health Care.

For more information on our range of Health & Social Care courses – including our BA in Health & Social Care, and MA in Health & Social Care Leadership visit our website, contact our Enquiries Team or sign up for one of our Open Days.