The Open University

Dr Gemma Ryan is passionate about teaching and nursing – so she does both

21 May 2018

Dr Gemma Ryan, is an Open University (OU) lecturer and registered adult nurse. Her passion for both means she takes the unusual step of juggling the two roles together – making her quite a rare entity. Here she explains how and why she combines the two and the benefits it brings to her students. What’s […]

Seven things to remember when supporting a dying person

15 May 2018

Dr Erica Borgstrom is a medical anthropologist whose teaching and research focuses on death and dying, with a particular emphasis on end of life care. She has worked on former module K260 (Death and Dying) and will be working on the forthcoming K220 module (Death, Dying and Bereavement) in the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language […]

Photo of nurse caring for elderly lady in hospital bed

New OU report reveals financial cost of the nursing shortage to the NHS

14 May 2018

NHS trusts in England were forced to spend £1.46 billion last year on temporary staffing to plug gaps in nursing rotas, according to our new report. Our Tackling the Nursing Shortage report also reveals that we need new ways to tackle it, such as alternative ways for people to study to become a registered nurse. This […]

Spotlight on…learning disability nursing

14 May 2018

Sheila Counihan has worked in nursing practice and education for over 40 years, and is qualified in Adult and Mental Health nursing with a Masters degree in Learning Disability Mental Health. She is currently leading on the development of a new distance learning pre-registration learning disability nursing programme for the OU which we hope to […]

OU study helps military flight nurse Demelza climb the ranks

11 May 2018

Demelza Dachtler began her RAF nursing career with the Princess Mary Royal Air Force Nursing Service when she was 21. Now 31 and a qualified military flight nurse, Demelza teaches clinical practice skills to Royal Navy, Royal Marine, Army and Royal Air Force trainee medics. “When I started studying, you didn’t need a degree to […]

Sarah says OU study made her a better person and a better nurse

10 May 2018

After all the challenges along the road to becoming a nurse, Sarah Burgess says she would “do it all again in a heartbeat”. Recently qualified with a BSc (Hons) Adult Nursing, Sarah pays tribute to the support and encouragement of her tutors that kept going to the end. As someone who left school with a […]

Busted: 5 dementia myths

9 May 2018

It’s NOT just the elderly who get dementia, it’s NOT a mental health condition and treatment IS available. Dr Lesley Baillee is a Senior Lecturer and Qualifications Lead for Nursing in the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies, a registered nurse and nurse educator with an interest in improving care for people with dementia. […]

Liz forgot her fear of needles to pursue her nursing dream

9 May 2018

Liz Westwood was inspired to become a nurse because of two important influences – her late mother and her work colleagues. For the last eight years, she has worked as a Healthcare Assistant in a community specialist palliative care team (improving the quality of life for those patients nearing the end of life). Now she […]

People person Stefan swapped a life in the skies for saving lives

8 May 2018

As a self-professed “people person”, Stefan Franks feels at home pursuing a career in adult nursing. Having left school with GCSEs and BTECs in travel, Stefan began his career in the travel industry taking off for a five-year career with a major airline. Now he is working as a healthcare assistant at a surgery in […]

“Nurses need better support,” says OU Head of Nursing

26 January 2018

Nurses must be given support from NHS managers to learn while they earn as part of a new drive to reverse the debilitating exodus from the profession, according to The Open University’s Head of Nursing. Julie Messenger welcomed a report by the House of Commons Health Select Committee, which endorsed the need for different routes […]

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