Thirteen Islanders make up the third group to begin the course, following the first intake in 2013 and a second group last year.
The Pre-Registration Nursing Programme in the adult field of nursing is delivered in the Island by lecturers from Health.
‘The degree is granted by the University of Chester and the courses are endorsed by the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC).
Chief nurse Rose Naylor, said: ‘Our new arrivals mean that we now have a full set of students across the three year groups, with our third-year students set to complete their degrees in 2016.
‘By offering this degree-level training we are answering the challenges of recruiting trained nursing staff and providing an opportunity for Islanders to embark on a fulfilling career.’
Among the new intake is Gemma Colley (19), a former Haute Vallée student, who worked as a health-care assistant for a year while studying at Highlands College before starting the three-year degree course.
She said: ‘I really enjoyed the work in health care, and it was a natural progression to apply for this course.
‘I looked at options for studying at home in Jersey and in the UK, and there are lots of advantages to a Jersey course: I can get the same quality of training, live at home rather than being hundreds of miles from family and friends, and graduate without having big debts, so it was definitely the best route to take.’
Una Durham-Waite, who came to Jersey 26 years ago from Dublin, said she wanted to take her health-care skills to a ‘new dimension’ after a break in her career.
‘I worked as a health-care assistant when I was younger and have wanted to do this for a long while, and now my children are grown up it’s the right time for me to develop my career – it’s something I have always loved doing,’ she added.
Melissa Loughlin (20) applied for the Pre-Registration Nursing Degree last year but did not manage to get the maths grade she needed for the course.
‘I spent a year at Highlands College doing an access course, and was able to do some health-care shifts from the nursing bank while I got my maths.
‘The year’s delay hasn’t been a problem – it has allowed me to gain some experience and maturity.
‘I have really enjoyed all the time that I spent doing bank shifts and have always had a real spring in my step when I’ve been coming into work – even at 6 am.’
For more information on careers in nursing or starting a degree in the future contact the department’s pre-registration team by email on preregteam@health.gov.je.
