Higher education opportunity for Senior Nursing Care Assistants at Linc’s nursing homes
At Linc we believe in creating the right environment for people to flourish. This purpose is reflected in how we care for people and how we nurture the talents and aspirations of our colleagues.
As the nursing home sector experiences a shortage of nurses, Linc has taken matters into its own hands and developed a career progression route for its Senior Nursing Care Assistants (SNCAs).
The approach sees Linc fund an 18-month course, the equivalent of the first year of a nursing degree. Once complete, participants can enrol on the second year of a nursing degree at a local university.
The SNCA role was established in 2019 and its existence has seen a number of Linc’s Care Assistants progress in their careers, by taking on this more senior role with additional responsibilities.
Louise Nash first joined Linc as a Care Assistant in 2017, before being promoted to a SNCA in 2021, she said:
“As a SNCA I have more nursing responsibilities, including doing dressings, giving medications, and carrying out observations. I liaise with GPs and other medical staff, and the other carers at Capel Grange can come to me for advice.
“The opportunity to do the nursing qualification was offered out to SNCAs, so I was interviewed to do the training and was successful. This first part is academic and takes place online and the second part is practical.
“I haven’t studied since leaving school, but I’ve adapted to working and studying simultaneously and I’m enjoying the online learning.
“I love caring for people and I want to progress in my career so the opportunity to train as a Nurse was one I jumped at. It’s even more rewarding to be able to carry out my training at Capel Grange alongside my colleagues and the wonderful residents.”
The new higher education initiative aims to bring ongoing professional and personal benefits to SNCAs interested in qualifying as nurses. But the approach will benefit nursing home residents too.
By ensuring Linc can provide career progression opportunities, the nursing homes can better retain their talented staff, leading to continuity of care and ongoing high standards.
Edgar Bautista, Head of Nursing at Linc said:
“We recognise the talent and commitment of our colleagues, and it is important to us that we retain our best people and offer them opportunities to progress in their careers.
“This approach to further education is enabling our colleagues to qualify as nurses while working and receiving a salary.
“We are delighted to have enrolled three SNCAs on the course last October. All three are impressing us with their commitment to their education while continuing to work hard in their SNCA roles.”