A social care organisation in North Wales has launched a pioneering \u201cgrow your own\u201d scheme to tackle the shortage of nurses in the sector.<\/p>\n
Two members of staff at Pendine Park, which has care homes in Caernarfon and Wrexham, have become the first to successfully complete four-year nursing degree courses run in conjunction with the Open University.<\/p>\n
Amy Rowlands was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree with first class honours, while her colleague, Sioned Williams, gained a 2:1 degree with honours.<\/p>\n
The pair work at Pendine\u2019s\u00a0 Bryn Seiont Newydd care home on the outskirts of Caernarfon.<\/p>\n
Proudly wearing the navy coloured tunics of nurses, they are now looking forward to their graduation ceremony in Manchester later this year.<\/p>\n
Both said they were \u201chugely grateful\u201d to Pendine Park for the opportunity to study while working and for the support they received while undertaking the four-year course.<\/p>\n
Amy, 30, who hails from Bangor but now lives at Pentraeth near Menai Bridge, left Ysgol Friars in Bangor and spent several years doing a variety of jobs before joining the staff at Bryn Seiont Newydd at the care home’s opening day in October 2015 and hasn\u2019t looked back since.<\/p>\n
She said: “Sixth form wasn’t working for me so I left school and found work in a caf\u00e9 and at a petrol station before going into the care sector. I’d spent some time taking my grandmother for dialysis and just sitting with her and I knew then a career in care was what I wanted to do.<\/p>\n
\u201cWorking at Bryn Seiont is my perfect job and I love being part of the team and after gaining a number of NVQ qualifications I later trained as a Clinical Care Practitioner.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe training involved learning about wound management, nutrition and hydration, medication management and administration and other topics.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe degree course allowed to learn and earn at the same time. I\u2019m just grateful to Pendine for giving me the opportunity and I\u2019m hoping to study for a master\u2019s degree in future.\u201d<\/p>\n
After leaving school, Sioned, 40, from Talysarn in the Nantlle Valley, helped care for her gran and uncle before finding work with Pendine Park.<\/p>\n
She said: “I came to Bryn Seiont Newydd soon after it opened and I’ve been here ever since. I trained to be a Clinical Care Practitioner and decided to take up the course to become a nurse.<\/p>\n
“It brings a lot more responsibility and entails working on whole new levels. I can make assessments, give medication and when that emergency bell goes I have to respond,” she said.<\/p>\n
The mum-of-three also hopes to continue her studies and follow a nurse prescribing course.<\/p>\n
Sioned added: “I would not have finished the course without Amy’s support, she was my saving grace.”<\/p>\n
Amy and Sioned were the first two from Bryn Seiont Newydd to follow the Open University course and since then other staff at the award-winning home have enrolled on the course.<\/p>\n
Bryn Seiont Newydd manager Sandra Evans said seven current members of staff are currently following the same course as Amy and Sioned.<\/p>\n
“There is a shortage of nurses in the care sector but this innovative scheme meets demand and trains staff who understand the sector and love working in a care home. It’s the best of both worlds.<\/p>\n
“Amy and Sioned have been brilliant throughout and showed great dedication to working here at Bryn Seiont Newydd and we are all so proud of them,” said Sandra.<\/p>\n
The care home’s head of nursing and deputy manager, Anne Jones, said: \u201cPendine Park is the only care organisation in North Wales offering this scheme alongside the Open University.<\/p>\n
\u201cCare home nursing is very different to hospital nursing. It\u2019s a varied role and we have to be autonomous. There isn\u2019t a doctor around every corner so you need to be up for the challenge and ready to deal with physical, physiological or psychiatric problems. We also take a holistic approach when we can.\u201d<\/p>\n