Treloar’s hosts a learning day for student nurses from the University of Southampton

On 25 March, Treloar’s was delighted to host a professional learning day for first-year children’s nursing students from the University of Southampton.

Organised by Sally Nissen, Head of Healthcare and Nursing at Treloar’s, in partnership with tutors from the university’s children’s nursing course, the event welcomed 60 student nurses to learn more about caring for and communicating with children and young people with physical disabilities and complex needs.

The morning programme consisted of a series of talks and interactive workshops led by Treloar’s clinical teams, focusing on how hospital experiences can be improved for children and young people with disabilities. Our Head of Quality, Jo Cox spoke about our regulators and the requirements for evidencing our impact. Members of the nursing team, Yvette Walker and Abi Cinti, shared their experiences of nursing at Treloar’s and discussed the importance of seeing the whole young person, not just their medical needs; Rachel Blakiston then explored the use of pain assessment tools for children and young people with complex needs, highlighting how pain can present differently and the importance of assessment. In our experience, some hospital staff are not familiar with gastrostomies, so Dominic Twinn, Clinical Educator at Treloar’s, led a hands-on practical session, giving every student nurse the opportunity to learn about gastrostomy care and ask questions. Our lead Medicines Management Technician, Claire McManus, offered a fun Kahoot! session on medicines.

One of the most challenging aspects of a hospital stay for many Treloar’s students is communication. A number of students are non-verbal and rely on augmented or alternative forms of communication (AAC). Treloar’s Speech and Language Therapist, Caroline Weighton, and Hannah Hunt, Assistive Technology Manager, led a session on AAC and communication fundamentals, helping the student nurses understand how to establish communication, identify individual ‘yes’ and ‘no’ responses, and adapt their approach to meet each young person’s needs. The nurses were shown the many different ways Treloar’s students communicate, including electronic devices, books, symbols and body language.

In the afternoon, the student nurses were divided into small groups and met with some of Treloar’s students, hearing first-hand about their experiences of health care. Students shared the barriers they can face when communicating with hospital staff, and shared what helps them feel listened to, understood and respected. These conversations expanded into discussions about learning, hobbies, friendships and what the students enjoy about Treloar’s.

Reflecting on the day, Sally Nissen said: “Our thanks go to the student nurses who attended, and to the Treloar’s staff who made time within their busy schedules to support this initiative. We have learned a great deal from the experience and are confident it can be developed further if repeated next year.”