Student nurse, Chloe Worrall, 31 from Stockbridge Village says she now has the knowledge to help ensure patients settle more safely back into their homes and communities after a hospital stay, thanks to a placement with landlord ForHousing.
Chloe, who is a single mum to two young children and grew up in Stockbridge Village, is studying nursing at Liverpool John Moores University.
She completed a month-long placement with the landlord as part of a wider partnership between the university, the NHS, ForHousing and other community partners.
For the past three years, Chloe has been training at Whiston Hospital to be a nurse. She’s seen many patients, particularly older people who have had a long illness or suffered a fall, who have long stays in hospital because they can’t return home.
Some of her patient’s homes are no longer suitable for their needs while others are in debt and at risk of eviction.
Before her placement Chloe would refer patients to occupational health, physiotherapy and social services, however she now says she has a broader understanding of other services in the community and how organisations like ForHousing can help.
Chloe said: “The ForHousing team were so welcoming and friendly, they valued my opinion and I got a real insight into the valuable work their teams do to support tenants and the wider community.
“I wish I could have stayed longer! What I came away with was a better understanding of how myself and other nurses can help ensure a safer discharge for patients and prevent people leaving hospital to go to unsuitable accommodation. If we can discharge patients more safely, we can reduce the chance of them ending up back in hospital.”
Four more nursing students are due to join ForHousing this summer.
Chloe explained: “We were the first cohort to do it and it’s great to hear it’s continuing. I’d definitely recommend this kind of placement to other student nurses, I’ve been really vocal with fellow students about how beneficial it’s been.
“I learned about building safety in high-rises, the support ForHousing offers with benefits and money management, visited the extra care scheme and saw the fantastic work they do in the community with projects that work with young people like Play Streets.”
Chloe is due to qualify and go into community district nursing in February 2023 and hopes to eventually work in public health, which she is particularly passionate about.
“I’m really excited to work in the community and make an impact there once I’m qualified, my hope is that I’ll be able to really engage with people and help improve their lives.”
Pamela Donaghy, Senior Lecturer in Adult Nursing at Liverpool John Moores University said, “In the coming months we are hoping to have enough placements for all allied health students to gain this type of experience during their undergraduate programme.
“As we develop the placements, we hope Liverpool John Moores University students will be able to actively support the work of local organisations contributing to improving the health of local people.
“We are also hoping that seeing nurses in the community will encourage more people of all ages to consider joining the profession.”
