1. Introduction The primary aim in pre-registration nursing programmes is to ensure that students are prepared to practice safely and effectively (NMC 2010). Thus there is a need to ensure that students are exposed to diverse, quality practice learning which is reflective of a broad range of healthcare environments and ensures sufficient learning opportunities to meet programme outcomes (Calpin-Davies 2003, NMC 2010). Volunteering can provide students with opportunities to experience new ways of working, new organisations involved in providing services to meet health needs and to work with a range of service users and communities in a variety of settings (Purdie et al 2008). This poster outlines an innovative approach to volunteering within the undergraduate nursing programme at Leeds Metropolitan University where, as part of a wider university international volunteering partnership with organisations in Nepal, a nursing lecturer and students from the Faculty of Health & Social Sciences travelled to Kathmandu to work with a charity for children with Cerebral Palsy. Volunteering Higher education has always been about much more than simply getting a degree. Students come for an experience. Encouraging students to engage in volunteering, broadens their experience and supports skills development that can enhance future employability (Brewis et al 2010, Leeds Met 2010). “As part of a wider recognition of the centrality of the role that universities play in fostering graduate employability & enhancing social & economic success, students are encouraged to engage in activities which extend their learning beyond the curriculum through volunteering.” (Theme 2, Leeds Met 2010) Globalisation & demographic contexts support numerous political drives to promote voluntary action (Gaskin 2004, Brewis et al 2010, Brewis 2011). At the same time students are motivated to volunteer through a desire to improve things or help people, develop skills, gain work experience and enhance learning from their course (Brewis et al 2010). Incorporating volunteering experience within a Pre-registration nursing programme: a case study of volunteering in Nepal Sarah Burden, Senior Lecturer / Teacher Fellow S.Burden@leedsmet.ac.uk Liz Clark, Principal Lecturer L.Clark@leedsmet.ac.uk Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, Leeds Metropolitan University What kind of work were students involved in ? Students volunteered to work at the Self-help Group for Cerebral Palsy (SGCP) school in Kathmandu, Nepal. There is provision for forty children at the school and young adults above 18 years old are provided with vocational training according to their interests and abilities. The main objective of the programme is to prepare children for normal schools through providing basic primary education and skills relating to activities of daily living. SGCP provides numerous services including medical assessment by qualified doctors, therapeutic interventions by experienced therapists and a nurse, psychological testing and, if required, counselling for parents. In addition, there is an outreach programme where trained personnel make regular home visits to support children with cerebral palsy and their parents. One student commented on her work as follows: “After a couple of days of observation I identified the needs of parents, children and staff at the school. These needs included breast feeding advice, pressure are care and infection prevention and control. I seized all opportunities to develop my knowledge further and worked with the doctor to provide breastfeeding advice in relation to correct positioning. I also delivered a presentation to staff at the school on the importance of pressure relief.” Student learning from the experience The experience enabled the students to develop their professional confidence and competence in order to facilitate and enhance their professional skills. They developed their global outlook (one of the Leeds Met graduate attributes) through working with new colleagues from a variety of cultural backgrounds and importantly, the experience has enhanced their employability. The students reflected that the experience had made them more aware and concerned of the problems facing underdeveloped countries. The experience allowed them to consider “real-life” health issues relating to poverty and deprivation and they learned how to work and provide care creatively within very limited resources. From their personal perspectives, students felt the experience had made them more independent and adventurous and all the students expressed a desire to undertake further volunteering work once qualified. Having Fun! This was a huge part of the experience! The work was, at times, hard, strenuous, dirty and frustrating but, working with other volunteers from all over the world also made it great fun and very rewarding. The students had the opportunity to play with the children, make a difference in their lives and see them smile. They made new friends within the Nepalese community where they lived and had many adventures, for example trekking to Everest Base Camp! Stages in setting up the placement experience Initial contact made by university volunteering to establish feasibility of student experience, reviewed by nursing team to identify learning opportunities and support available for practice Risk Assessments including Occupational Health & Travel Guidance completed Students recruited for available places Funding: university & student contributions University induction and preparation for practice First Aid and Basic Life Support update provided. Contact details updated (including next of kin). Learning outcomes negotiated. Support materials for experience placed on-line. Review of expected professional behaviours. Feedback from placement “…though cerebral palsy is a relatively new field where the nursing role is not well defined, the students came forward with interesting and innovative ideas regarding the care of children such as feeding, pressure area care and hygiene.” Brewis G., Russell J. and Holdsworth C. (2010) Bursting the Bubble: Students, Volunteering and the Community Institute for Volunteering Research available at http://www.ivr.org.uk/images/stories/Institute-of-Volunteering-Research/Migrated- Resources/Documents/B/NCCPE_Bursting_the_Bubble_Final_Report.pdf (Accessed 20/1/12) http://www.ivr.org.uk/images/stories/Institute-of-Volunteering-Research/Migrated- Resources/Documents/B/NCCPE_Bursting_the_Bubble_Final_Report.pdf Brewis G. (2011) Student Volunteering – A Short History Volunteering England, London. Available at www.volunteering.org.uk (Accessed 20/1/12)www.volunteering.org.uk Calpin-Davies P.J. (2003) Delivering a quality clinical experience means abandoning placements. Guest Editorial. Nurse Education in Practice 3, 59-60 Gaskin K. (2004) Young People, Volunteering and civic service. A review of the literature. Institute for Volunteering Research available at http://www.ivr.org.uk/images/stories/Institute-of-Volunteering-Research/Migrated- Resources/Documents/Y/review_literature.pdf (Accessed 20/1/12) http://www.ivr.org.uk/images/stories/Institute-of-Volunteering-Research/Migrated- Resources/Documents/Y/review_literature.pdf Leeds Met (2010) Strategic Plan 2010-2015. Quality, Relevance and Sustainability available at http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/strategicplan/Leeds-Metropolitan_Strategic- Plan_2010-2015.pdf (Accessed 12/2/12)http://www.leedsmet.ac.uk/strategicplan/Leeds-Metropolitan_Strategic- Plan_2010-2015.pdf NMC (2010) Standards for Pre-registration Nursing Programmes. NMC available at http://standards.nmc- uk.org/PreRegNursing/statutory/background/Pages/introduction.aspx (Accessed 20/1/12) http://standards.nmc- uk.org/PreRegNursing/statutory/background/Pages/introduction.aspx Purdie A. Sheward L. and Gifford E. (2008) Student nurse placements take a new direction. Nurse Education in Practice 8, 315-320