Case Study:
Recruiting successful SCPHN students using School Nursing Development Roles
Margaret Fallon,
Operational Manager, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust
Since 2014, we have taken the innovative approach to have a school nurse in every secondary school in Oxfordshire. As this is 40 schools, we need to ensure we are able to staff these effectively.
We have approached this by implementing Development Roles; qualified nurses with extra qualifications or relevant experience, e.g., practice nursing or sexual health nurses, as Band 6s, to work as development nurses based in secondary schools, with the undertaking that they secured a place on the SCPHN course within two years.
We found that the nurses who were in development posts prior to commencing the course did very well on the course and successfully took up School Nurse roles. The development nurses were better prepared for the course and had a greater understanding of the practical elements of the course/role. We were able to staff our secondary schools and meet our contract requirements.
The development nurses were given the following support:
- A buddy and a through induction programme
- A specific training programme to go through the standard operational procedures/process/pathways etc over an 8-week period
- Support from their line manager receiving clinical and management supervision 6-8 weekly, as well as CAMHS and safeguarding supervision
- A weekly meeting with their team for informal peer supervision and the Clinical Practice Teachers provided monthly follow-on learning on aspects of the role
Whilst it was additional work to support the induction/training of the development nurses, the schools benefited from having development nurses in post onsite as did the young people.
A few development nurses did not progress to undertake the SCPHN course; this was for many reasons, they didn’t like the role, the nature of the work, amount of safeguarding/mental health, the hours did not suit them, they didn’t like the lone worker aspect of the role, as although they were in school, they were not employed by school and were independent. We learnt the importance of a good induction and close follow up of new development nurses.
But the majority did and many of our development nurses have gone on to complete the course and remain in the service. We were able to train more SCPHNs who knew what the job entailed before they commenced the course that aided their successes in the course, their future careers and benefited the team hugely.
We are now in a new contract where we work as localities together with HVs. There is a significant element of skill mix in the new contract, and we will be working 0-19yrs with the HVs as one team so the development posts will be brought in line and suit the new service specification.
The development posts were a success and did lead to many nurses undertaking and completing the SCPH course and remaining in the service. We have at least 20 SCPHNS currently in the service who have come though this route.
