Student nurses thank mentors at Blackpool Victoria Hospital

They voted for the orthopaedic ward – part of Blackpool Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust – to be honoured with an award for training by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Mentors for the University of Central Lancashire.

Lindsey Kelsall, ward manager, said: “We are delighted to have received this accolade which was voted for by the students themselves.

“We strive to always do an excellent job providing mentorship for student nurses on placement and this has now been publicly recognised through the university.

“If senior students have a really good placement with us they request to come 
back to do their internship and from there we can appoint our home-grown nurses.”

The students can be placed on any ward or clinical area throughout the acute hospital or community and they vote for the area which they believe has enhanced their training and made a difference to their work as a whole.

Lindsey added: “Our ward staff invest a lot of 
time and energy into mentoring students and this award recognises the work they do.”

UCLAN student, Sharon Meadows, who is on placement on Ward 34, said she felt the award was well-deserved, as she believed the staff went above and beyond to help students further their careers.

Sharon said: “It’s a fantastic team and everyone is always willing to help.

“The ward is very well organised and the welcome students receive makes a massive difference to 
what we get out of our placement.”