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RePAIRing the student nurse journey: empowering interrupted students through innovative support strategies

10 October 2024
Volume 33 · Issue 18

Abstract

This article reports on a study that evaluated an innovative 6-week summer returners' programme, part of the Health Education England RePAIR project, designed to support nursing students who have interrupted their studies. Held from May to July 2022, the programme addressed diverse needs through academic guidance, mental health and resilience workshops, creative arts, professional identity development, and practical nursing skills training. The programme ran alongside support from the programme team, student engagement services, and ongoing communication via phone and email. Despite non-mandatory sessions leading to varying attendance, the combined efforts facilitated the return of 67 out of 135 interrupted students. Thematic analysis identified four key themes: anticipation and fear, making contact and reaching out, preparing for return, and psychological wellbeing. The programme's effectiveness underscores the necessity of tailored support strategies to enhance retention and wellbeing. This innovative approach highlights the importance of personalised support in aiding nursing students' return to education and addressing nursing workforce shortages.

The nursing profession in the UK faces significant challenges, with students interrupting their studies for various reasons, impacting their academic progression and career development. Factors contributing to these interruptions include financial difficulties, academic struggles, personal circumstances, and mental health issues (Council of Deans of Health, 2023; UCAS, 2023a). This article presents an innovative project designed to support nursing students in the UK whose education had been interrupted, entitled ‘Supporting Interrupted Nursing Students to Return to Programme’. This initiative, comprising a 6-week summer school held between May and July 2022 at Northumbria University, focused on pastoral support to re-engage students with their nursing programmes. Through a range of activities, including wellbeing and resilience workshops, art-based projects and skills-development sessions, the project sought to address the complex factors contributing to study interruptions. This innovative approach highlights the importance of comprehensive, individualised support in aiding nursing students to return to education.

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