Hundreds of graduate and student nurses from the University of Sunderland have been deployed – or are waiting to join – the frontline to help in fight against Covid-19.
Just weeks ago a 40-strong graduating cohort of nurses began working at hospitals across the North East as the NHS faces unprecedented pressures due to the pandemic.
Now, 49 third-year Nursing students, who are in their last six months of study, have taken up voluntary posts at hospitals in Newcastle, North Tees & Hartlepool, Sunderland and South Tyneside.
A further 54 second-year students are volunteering to join from the beginning of June, with another potential 46 set to join them.
Those currently studying at the University are all joining on a voluntary basis and will continue to study whilst working for designated trusts across the region.
Gill Maw, Team Leader/Principle Lecturer: Nursing and Paramedic Sciences at the University, said: “Throughout this, all the current students will be supported by their tutors and the academic teams at the University.
“All the academic assessments will continue as normal for these students, who will be working in hospitals where there is a high demand during the current situation.
“We are incredibly proud of all of our student nurses. They have shown huge commitment to their chosen profession and their dedication is inspiring.
“We are also grateful for the support we’ve received from all our partner Trusts across the region at this time.”
The nurses range from aged 20 upwards and, during their studies, have been working alongside the University’s other health-related programmes, including pharmacists, paramedics, allied health professionals, biomedical scientists and medical students from the School of Medicine.
Sir David Bell, Vice-Chancellor and Chief Executive at the University, said: “I’m incredibly proud of our student nurses who have selflessly joined the NHS front-line in the fight against coronavirus.
“They are an enormous credit to the University of Sunderland and I pay tribute to them, as well as the staff who have prepared our students so well to deal with such exacting circumstances.”
A video of Sir David Bell, Vice Chancellor of the University of Sunderland discussing the contribution of Universities to the Covid-19 effort is available to use from here