Sheffield Hallam University commemorates 30 years of training nurses

On International Nurses Day (12 May) Sheffield Hallam University celebrated 30 years of training nurses for the NHS and other healthcare providers.

Toni Schwartz (second from left) the first cohort of nurses from Sheffield Hallam University at the event.

The University, which is one of the largest providers of healthcare training in the country, hosted a special reunion. Some of the first graduates from the 1980s came together with recent graduates and current students to help mark the key milestone.

Nurses from across all ages, backgrounds and areas of the country discussed their time at Sheffield Hallam and how the profession has developed over the three decades since the University awarded their first nursing degree.

At any one time there are around 3,000 students training to be nurses or within other healthcare related professions like paramedics, physios and midwives at Hallam. The University benefits from multi-million pound cutting edge facilities, a highly qualified teaching team and strong partnerships with health providers across the North.

Head of Nursing and Midwifery at Sheffield Hallam University, Dr Toni Schwarz, said:

Many people within Sheffield, and even across the healthcare profession, don’t realise that the University is such a big player in terms of providing qualified nurses and healthcare staff for our National Health Service.

Vast amounts of nurses from across the North qualified here and we continue to be one of the biggest and best providers of nursing education in the UK. It was a real pleasure to see everyone come together to help mark the occasion and celebrate the contribution we have made over the years.

Claire Walsh is a Senior Lecturer at Sheffield Hallam University and also graduated from the University in 1992. She said:

It was interesting to reflect on changes within nursing and compare how nurses from different eras see the profession going forward.

Nurses have always needed compassion, excellent communication skills, knowledge and courage. But more than ever we need to look after ourselves and each other as work demands become more complex and inevitably more stressful.

There is with continuous change within the service and an ageing population means we increasingly work alongside patients who often have very complex needs. However, it's also clear that the profession is just as rewarding as ever.

David Donovan is a 25 year old final year nursing student specialising in mental health. He said:

It’s inspiring to learn how so many people who had graduated at Hallam have gone on to achieve great things in nursing.

I got into mental health nursing, following my own experiences of mental illness. I realised that the level of care and understanding needs to improve if the stigma around mental health is to be removed. I can honestly say that the staff, facilities and atmosphere at Sheffield Hallam is second to none.

Source: http://www.shu.ac.uk/