UoN celebrates nurses as our 1000th registered student graduates

The dedication and hard work of our nursing students reached a milestone today as the 1,000th undergraduate to pass their course did so with honours.

Annette Pakes received a first class degree, BSc (Hons) in Adult Nursing, today joining 999 other nursing professionals to qualify through one of the University of Northampton’s nursing degrees, since we were awarded formal university status and full research degree awarding powers in 2005.

Annette is already working on an acute medical ward at Milton Keynes hospital, having started in March this year.

There are four degrees on offer at University of Northampton reflecting the varied spectrum of modern nursing: Adult, Learning Disability, Child and Mental Health.

Nursing in the county has hit the headlines of late. The Dean of our Faculty of Health and Society Dr Steve O’Brien has called for qualified, but non-working, nurses in the county to consider returning to duty by completing our Return to Professional Practice course.

Trainee nursing associates from across the region attended a learning day, aimed at helping this new nursing support role prepare for the key part they will play in the health and social care services when they graduate in 2019.

The University of Northampton is also helping spearhead the ‘Best of Both Worlds’ campaign, a first of its kind recruitment drive, to help attract nurses and doctors to work and live in Northamptonshire.

Commenting on her graduation and life as a nurse that awaits her, Annette said: “I’m as pleased as punch to graduate today and can’t thank my lecturers and mentor enough for their encouragement and support. The past three years have been intense but so rewarding and I can’t wait to start as a fully registered nurse.”

Dr O’Brien added: “Congratulating Annette as our 1,000th nursing graduate is a welcome milestone, but a big pat on the back is due to all of our brilliant nurses of past, present and the future.

“We are immensely proud of their achievements, setting strong foundations for what will be life-changing careers ahead.”

There are approximately 690,000 nurses who are registered to work in the UK. There have been nursing staff working in Northamptonshire since the mid-18th Century, although official training in the county only started in 1877.

Find out more about our Adult Nursing course.

Read about our Learning Disability Nursing course.

Find out more about our Child Nursing degree.

For more information about our Mental Health Nursing degree.