Delight as 50th international nurse welcomed to Trust
The 50th international nurse has been welcomed to a healthcare trust as part of a hugely successful programme to recruit the best nurses from overseas.
Linet Etale (who prefers to be known by her surname), hails from Nairobi in Kenya and is the latest international nurse to join Northamptonshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT).
Etale (pictured right, and below with the pastoral team and fellow cohort of new nurses from Kenya), who has over a decade of experience in nursing, said she is “honoured” to join the Trust and has praised the support she has received in starting her new role in the UK.
Recruiting nurses and midwives from overseas not only supports the Trust with recruitment, it also brings some of the best new talent to help the Trust continue to be a leading provider of outstanding, compassionate care.
Nurses have been recruited by NHFT from as far afield as India, Nigeria, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and the Philippines.
Etale said: “It’s an honour and a privilege for me to work for this Trust; I feel like part of the team and welcome. I’ve been received very well and the team is very supportive. They give us accommodation and make sure we have sufficient supplies. Myself, and the other nurses, are learning a lot about the UK and the healthcare here which is a positive experience. I’m so grateful I’m able to practice in the UK and I thank the team for their support.”
NHFT’s International Recruitment Pastoral Support Team offers international recruits a structured program of support which begins from the point a nurse accepts their job offer through to their safe arrival in the UK. This includes ongoing engagement, preparation and support for living in the UK, welcoming candidates on arrival, support with accommodation, ensuring a stress-free transition by having a robust induction to the local area and orientation to the trust. Buddying schemes with other internationally educated recruits and peer-to-peer support networks – also help recruits feel happier and supported in their role.
Emilia Chitenhe, International Recruitment Matron, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome Etale as out 50th nurse. NHFT started international recruitment approximately two years ago and for us to have reached this milestone is an absolute pleasure and a delight.”
Etale added: “50 is halfway to 100, and I am sure the team will continue to recruit more nurses for the betterment of the Trust.”
Maria Kriss Uy (pictured right), an NHFT nurse in Danetre Hospital, was one of the first nurses recruited by NHFT though the programme.
Maria said: “The pastoral team is really supportive and helpful, for which I am grateful for. In terms of progression, I have finished two leadership courses last year and I hope I will be able to use them in the near future if opportunity comes. I have also been doing training under palliative care which is interesting. One of my greatest achievements is meeting the King in November 2023, thanks to those who have nominated me. It was surreal! All in all, I am happy where I am now and is ready to take on the future.”
To find out more about working for the Trust visit www.nhft.nhs.uk/jobs
Watch a video featuring Etale and the international nursing team here: