Celebrating National Work Experience Week

As part of this year’s National Work Experience Week, which takes place from 22nd-26th April, we're celebrating and raising awareness of our Work Experience offer here in Aneurin Bevan University Health Board.

One of our work experience offers is the RCN Nurse Cadets Programme. We caught up with some Cadets to find out why they chose to undertake Work Experience with us...

Work Experience Through the Eyes of a Patient

Attending an Outpatients Appointment at The Royal Gwent Hospital, patient, Sally Morgan, was waiting in the waiting room with other patients when she noticed a young man wearing a red t-shirt with the word ‘Cadet’ written on it in.

Sally was there to meet her new consultant and was feeling nervous about her appointment. As she waited, she noticed the young man talking to other patients, and was particularly touched when she witnessed him helping an elderly patient to walk to his appointment.

This young man was Kian, a Health and Social Care student at Coleg Gwent who was on placement for his RCN Nurse Cadet work experience programme, which the Health Board hosts. The Nurse Cadets attend an induction with our Nurse Education team and complete a 3-day placement with our nurses at various sites throughout the Health Board. The hope is that the scheme will inspire these young students to become part of our future workforce and offer them vital work experience for their CV and future studies.

Sally was taken aback by how helpful Kian was and how happy and welcoming he was to her and other patients. Even though candidates on work experience are there to observe, Kian used his time to get to know patients and to understand their experience. He offered a helping hand and was happy and confident to explain who he was and why he was there.

Sally said: “Kian was amazing… he was really interested in everyone he spoke to and smiled all the time. He seemed like a genuinely lovely person and would be a real asset to the Health Board if he decided to work there. It was a pleasure to meet him and understand how Aneurin Bevan provides work experience for young students. I really wanted to let you know that it was a pleasure to meet him and it was wonderful to see.”

Learning and Organisational Development Manager, Clare Cullis, is responsible for the day-to-day hosting of work experience and helps to facilitate the RCN Nurse Cadet Scheme.

Clare said:

“Although we recognise the benefits work experience provides for candidates and the Health Board alike, understanding the positive impact work experience can also have on patient experience is crucial.

"It’s great to hear about the wonderful impact Kian had whilst on placement with us at Aneurin Bevan and it is also a pleasure to provide opportunities such as this to nurture our future workforce. We are dedicated to providing opportunities for our young people and local communities through work experience and it’s wonderful to receive such positive feedback from patients.”

Kian is continuing his studies and dreams of becoming a paramedic.