Chichester College celebrates first Nurse Cadets

It was announced in May that the Chichester College Group and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) had launched the Prince of Wales Nursing Cadet Scheme.

To mark the completion of the first programme, Chichester College hosted an event to mark the occasion. The celebration featured speeches from lecturers, the presentation of certificates to students, and a selection of tea, coffee, and cakes prepared by the staff.

It all concluded with students receiving a goodie bag of different things to mark the occasion, which included some Chichester College merchandise.

Lily Godfrey, one of the cadet students, said: “I wanted to gain a bit more experience alongside the course I am currently doing, so this was a great opportunity to do it, working in a hospital as well gives you a great experience.

“I want to go off to university to train to be an adult nurse, then carry on my training to become a neonatal nurse. Having this cadet programme done gives me that experience and understanding moving forward.”

Lisa Hooper, another one of the students, added: “I am very passionate about nursing, and I thought this was a great way to get my foot in the door and get experience with the nurses.

“The lecturers explained everything really well. We knew exactly what was expected from the start. They also prepared us well for our placements, so we weren’t too nervous going into that too.”

It is hoped that this first group of students finishing the course will pave the way for the college to run more programmes in the future.

Helen Gibbons, Nursing Cadet Advisor at the Royal College of Nursing, said: “This was our first cohort of RCN cadets with Chichester College, and the enthusiasm shown by these young people in their learning was evident throughout the course. The high level of support they received from Amy, their lecturer, was clearly reflected in the quality of their completed workbooks.

“We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Chichester College and extend our gratitude to our health partners for providing insightful observational placements. At the Royal College of Nursing, we are excited to follow the journeys of these talented and motivated young individuals as they consider their future careers in healthcare.”

Cathy Hennessy, one of the lecturers involved in the programme, added: “I am immensely proud, they were so enthusiastic, so full of excitement, and they attended every session in placement and in college. They have all done so well.

“They have been an amazing group of students, they are very compassionate, and enthusiastic, they work really well as a team and help each other.”

Helen Loftus, Principal of Chichester College, also said: “We are incredibly proud of our first-ever cohort of Nurse Cadets. Their dedication and enthusiasm have been inspiring, and this programme has given them invaluable experience for their future careers. We look forward to seeing many more students follow in their footsteps.”

To find out more about the Prince of Wales Nursing Cadet Scheme, please visit – https://www.chichester.ac.uk/study-with-us/royal-college-of-nursing/