Fresh crop of Stirling Uni nurses graduate as NHS Forth Valley recruit over half

Nursing students from Stirling University celebrate their graduation with NHS Forth Valley’s Executive Nurse Director, Professor Frances Dodd (front left) and Director of Nursing, Professor Karen Goudie (front right).
-Credit: (Image: Reach Publishing Services Limited)


The latest group of student nurses graduated from Stirling University last week - and the local health board has been quick to snap up much of the new talent.

Around 220 student nurses were in the crop completing their studies in the winter ceremonies at the university and NHS Forth Valley has swooped in to claim more than half.

Other graduating nurses are set for positions in other NHS health boards - including in Lothian, Fife and Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

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The nurses were joined on the day by NHS Forth Valley’s Executive Nurse Director, Professor Frances Dodd and Director of Nursing, Professor Karen Goudie.

Professor Dodd said: “I’m delighted that so many of this year’s graduate nurses have chosen to start their careers with NHS Forth Valley.

"Local staff across the organisation work hard to support nursing students throughout their undergraduate education and ensure they are supported during practice placements.

“It’s great to welcome so many of these new graduate nurses back and be able to offer them permanent positions in a wide range of local wards, departments and services across NHS Forth Valley.”

The graduating group have been the beneficiaries of a partnership arrangement set up in 2022 which saw the university and Forth Valley College link up with NHS Forth Valley.

The relationship sought to improve patient care and treatments, and boost health research and staff learning across the region.

The Forth Valley University College NHS Partnership is the first formal regional partnership between a health board, university, and college in Scotland.

Building on a long-standing relationship between the three institutions, it focuses on four priority areas: learning, careers, research, and innovation.

Professor Ashley Shepherd, Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Health Sciences and Sport at the university, said: “We are extremely proud of all of our graduating student nurses who have worked so hard to obtain their degrees.

“We know how valued Stirling nurses are by NHS teams and it’s no surprise so many are already working in local NHS jobs.

"The university has a strong reputation for producing knowledgeable and confident practitioners, who are not only equipped with the clinical skills required to succeed, but also leave us having developed the compassion, values, integrity and resilience needed to thrive in an ever-changing and evolving service.”