Signature Senior Lifestyle is celebrating the graduation of their first cohort of five nursing associates across four of its care homes.
The graduates are fully qualified as nursing associates and are able to carry out practical care to residents at four Signature care homes at Bentley House, Reigate Grange, Cliveden Manor and Moorlands Lodge.
Over the last two years, Mihaela Minea (Signature at Bentley House), Klarika Laszlo (Signature at Cliveden Manor), Asha Sharma (Signature at Reigate Grange), Kristine Ringa (Signature at Reigate Grange) and Sarah Smith (Signature at Moorlands Lodge) have embarked on a training and learning course that has included 25 hours a week placement experience.
Nurses in the UK typically qualify through university courses with the relevant placements. However, Signature Senior Lifestyle has launched a more accessible route into the vocation through its nursing associate training programme.
The graduates worked in intensive care units, met the challenges of remote learning, and gained valuable social care experience during some of the most challenging times the sector has ever witnessed.
In addition to the comprehensive training and support, each nursing associate will benefit from a competitive wage of £15 per hour.
Each graduate now has the option to extend their training for a further two years, in order to become fully qualified registered nurses, allowing them to manage individual care plans and progress further in the sector.
Signature Senior Lifestyle is encouraging their cohort of graduates to engage with this opportunity, as they look to provide further training and development for their colleagues.
A further cohort of six graduates are currently also undergoing nursing associate training and are set to graduate in 2023.
“Congratulations to our first cohort of Nursing Associates who can now put their training and knowledge into practice for the benefit of our residents. Each graduate has achieved remarkable things in such testing circumstances, and their efforts are truly appreciated,” said Signature Senior Lifestyle clinical and care training manager Guy Horwood.
“We now look forward to seeing our graduates further their development, put their existing qualifications to good use, and be joined by further graduating cohorts in the future,” he added.
