DERIAN House Children’s Hospice is sending one member of staff back to the classroom!
Charlotte Tindall has been awarded a scholarship to study to become the charity’s first Nurse Associate as part of a ground-breaking scheme to tackle the national nursing shortage.
The new role will see Charlotte work to bridge the gap between support workers and nurses to help deliver high quality care to the children and young people looked after by the Chorley-based hospice.
And she couldn’t be happier.
“I feel really motivated to succeed on my course to uphold Derian’s outstanding reputation and to make us the best we can possibly be,” said Charlotte, 30, of Blackburn.
“I’m very passionate about the children and young people we care for and everything I do is to make it a better place for them.”
The Julie Atherton children’s nurse scholarship scheme, started in 2018, made headlines for its innovation after Derian House became the UK’s first hospice to tackle the national nursing shortage crisis in this way.
Named after Derian’s much-loved former Clinical Director, the scheme has supported the training of a new nurse every year.
For the first time this year a current member of the Derian House team will be supported through her studies to qualify with a specialism in children’s palliative care.
Charlotte had previously completed an Assistant Practitioner Degree and so was able to progress to year two of the current course. She will attend one day per week at the University of Central Lancashire (UCLAN) and will be a qualified Nurse Associate in one year subject to assignments and exams.
“Julie was the Clinical Director when I first started at Derian House as a Support Worker,” continued Charlotte. “The scholarship is such a fitting tribute to Julie’s nursing career and I feel incredibly lucky to be awarded the funding to support my studies, especially given the current climate.
The charity has supported two entry-level nurses through their training in previous years.
Clinical Director, Lynn Grayson paid tribute to Charlotte. She said: “Charlotte is a hardworking and valued member of the care team at Derian House who always ensures she is able to give the highest levels of care to the children and young people. I am delighted that she is now able to develop her knowledge and skills further and progress her career by becoming a Nurse Associate using the scholarship fund.”
