Nursing and Midwifery
Guy’s and St Thomas’ Nursing Visiting Professional Programme is a tailor-made programme for international clinicians. It’s a unique opportunity to gain in depth knowledge and a valuable experience of NHS nursing or midwifery in our leading organisation recognised for its clinical excellence, research and education, and high-quality care.
We are one of the UK’s busiest and most successful providers of hospital and community-based healthcare, and cutting-edge innovation. From our 5 main hospitals – Guy’s Hospital, St Thomas’ Hospital, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, Royal Brompton Hospital and Harefield Hospital, and across extensive community services, we provide a full range of lifelong, general and specialist care. We work in partnership a wide range of universities and we’re part of King’s Health Partners, one of the UK’s academic health sciences centres. We’re committed to developing a healthcare workforce of the highest quality. Excellence in education and research is at the heart of Guy’s and St Thomas. We are caring, ambitious and inclusive – these values guide us in everything we do and are central to how we deliver our plans.
Programme aims
With around 9000 nurses and midwives in our organisation, nursing and midwifery has a strong vibrant voice with exceptional leadership at all levels. We embody kindness and compassion, partnered with a commitment to deliver award winning, evidence based and skilled nursing care to our patients.
The nursing or midwifery programme has been created for nurses or midwives who wish to observe clinical practice and /or extend skills in leadership, research, professional development and education within Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust at one or more of our 5 leading teaching hospitals in London.
The learning outcomes of this programme may include;
- Developing and extending your professional portfolio by gaining experience of working in one of the UK’s leading providers of hospital and community-based healthcare
- Sharing knowledge and expertise with Senior Nurses and Midwives to obtain deeper insights into healthcare leadership
- Gaining direct experience of working within the NHS
- Providing the opportunity to create networks and links for future learning and development
- Observing nursing care and practice in chosen areas, for example specialised departments, advanced practice, research and education and clinical or strategic leadership.
- Gaining an insight into career pathways, professional development and specialist roles for nurses and midwives in the UK and our organisation
- Being inspired to develop practice in your home country
Format
The nursing and midwifery programme is delivered by the Nightingale Academy. The programme can be tailor made to include e.g. lectures and teaching programmes, discussions, shadowing senior leaders and attending relevant meetings and briefings, and observing clinical practice in a wide range of settings. It is an observational programme and we will endeavour to align visiting nurses and midwives with a mentor from within the clinical environments that they have pre-chosen. The mentor will ensure the VPP’s learning and development needs and expectations are met. There is a wide selection of departments to be placed within, so we ask that any visitors inform us of their specific areas of interest well in advance of the programme confirmation.
Who can apply
The nursing and midwifery programme is aimed at registered nurses and midwives currently working outside of the UK, who wish to broaden their knowledge of health care and gain insight into the NHS. Experience of working in a hospital environment is not essential but would be an advantage for those attending.
Our Bespoke Leadership VPP, is aimed at Senior Nurses or Midwives wishing to expand their knowledge and skills in all aspects of healthcare leadership.
Programme duration
The nursing placements that we offer normally run for two weeks, but they can run between two weeks and eight weeks. This is to enable a comprehensive experience and an opportunity to learn about what it is like to work as a registered nurse or midwife at Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust.
The Nightingale Academy
St Thomas’ Hospital was the birthplace of modern nursing, where Florence Nightingale opened her first School of Nursing, defining the profession and pushing forward the boundaries of nursing practice. To build upon her legacy and to continue to embody her values, the Nightingale Academy was established in 2017 and is a Centre for Professional Development which values, recognises and supports every registered and unregistered nurse and midwife.
There are three key aims of the Nightingale Academy;
- Professional Development: Registered and unregistered nurses and midwives will have a single and accessible point of contact for professional development support, role /career progression and advice
- Leadership: the Nightingale Academy will support staff to realise their leadership potential, and design, deliver, collaborate with partners or sign post staff to leadership development opportunities.
- Quality Improvement: The Nightingale Academy will offer support and encourage nurses and midwives to develop competence and confidence in quality improvement with projects that focus on improving patient and /or staff outcomes and experiences and explore ways in which innovations can be shared or supported more widely and further developed trust wide and externally e.g. national and international conferences, publications
Available departments
The Visiting Professional Programme has been designed by the Chief Nurses Office to ensure that those visiting Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust gain the most from their experience. This is why we ask those wishing to visit to specify which departments they are interested in observing.
The following departments are examples of available opportunities:
- Acute Medicine – Emergency department and acute admissions
- Cardiovascular and Cardiothoracic Services
- Children’s Medicine and Neonatology
- Children’s Surgery and Intensive Care
- Community
- Gastroenterology & Endoscopy and GI Surgery
- Genetics, Rheumatology, Infection, Dermatology and Allergy (GRIDA)
- Imaging
- Medical Specialities
- Oncology and Haematology and Cellular Pathology
- Palliative Care
- Perioperative, Critical Care and Pain
- Surgery – general, orthopaedics and plastics
- Transplant, Renal and Urology
- Women’s Services
Fees
A course fee per week will be applied; this fee excludes accommodation and travelling expenses. To find out the fee amount please email [email protected]
Please note
Clinicians are able to offer bursaries or discounted placements on an individual basis. This is at the discretion of the Directorates of GSTT and does not affect the terms and conditions of the Visiting Professional Programme agreements.