More than 500 Glasgow nursing students 'well prepared' to join NHS frontline

More than 500 nursing students are 'well prepared' to join the NHS frontline in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic - despite not yet graduating.

Final year nursing students from Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) will be starting paid placements with the NHS.

Earlier this week, the students were asked to join the workforce early in various positions during the Covid-19 outbreak.

The recruitment drive is being coordinated by the NHS Education for Scotland (NES).

The student nurses are in their final year of study at GCU. Picture: JPImedia

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced on Monday (March 30) that around 5,000 students or former health care workers had expressed an interest - with many being offered fixed term employment.

Around ten per cent of the 5,000 new workers will come from final year GCU students.

Professor Jacqueline McCallum, head of GCU's department of nursing and community health, said: "We are immensely proud of more than 500 of our third-year students who will be starting paid placements with the NHS at this critical time.

"As the University for the Common Good, we want to do everything we can to support the country's response to the crisis.

"The students are well prepared, having developed their skills and knowledge by assessing and caring for a wide range of patients, including those whose conditions have been deteriorating.

"The clinical skills that the students have been developing are highly relevant to the current COVID-19 pandemic."

During their studies, students used the university's state-of-the-art simulation centre, which course bosses believe helped them develop the skills needed for the frontline.

Natalie Elliott, from the GCU nursing society, said: "GCU has actively sought out students' concerns and have tried to answer them as best they can - but only with facts and not with speculation.

"It has been clear that staff have been working incredibly hard to ensure that students are not disadvantaged at this time, but also ensuring that our education is in no way impacted, allowing us to flourish as future nurses of the NHS."