The Princess Royal visited two campuses in one day to welcome the first cohort of nursing students in the north.
As Chancellor of the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI), HRH The Princess Royal toured the facilities available at the Western Isles Hospital in Stornoway and the Centre for Health Services in Inverness before meeting a number of nursing students beginning their studies on the campus.
During her address to students and staff at the university, HRH The Princess Royal said: “The Highlands and Islands have got a very good reputation and history in nursing and what we are pleased to do at this university is to build on that reputation and respect and underpin the strengths of those who have gone before and the knowledge and the experience that they have.
Professor Clive Mulholland, principal and vice-chancellor of the University of the Highlands and Islands, spoke to the Press and Journal about his delight at welcoming fresh students to this exciting degree being offered for the first time.
He said: “It is a considerable achievement to welcome our first cohort of nursing students today, one year after we received approval from the Nursing and Midwifery Council for the transfer to happen. We are using nursing as the core and building out from it. It’s all the alignment of the stars, it’s all coming together.”
As well as being classroom-based, the course will be very hands-on, with students set to undertake placements in real life, fast passed environments; in both hospital wards and through community based work.
HRH The Princess Royal spoke of the array of opportunities available to students through the course. She added: “Our BSC nursing programme combines the best teaching, technology, simulation and practice experiences to prepare you for a fulfilling career in nursing. I am delighted to hear that so much of this course expects you to spend a lot of time outside and in practice.”
Shannon MacLeod, 25, from Fort William, said: “I am excited for being able to get on and help in the community and applying it in a practical way.”
The Royal visit was organised following the transfer of the pre-registration nurse education programmes for BSc mental health nursing and BSc adult nursing from the University of Stirling to the University of the Highlands and Islands.
