Pupils get a taste of life at the RD&E

Thirty-six pupils from schools across Exeter visited the RD&E for their Work Observation Week to make a first step towards their future career.

The annual programme gives young people in Year 10 and above the chance to find out how the RD&E works and to consider the many different jobs the NHS has to offer.

A highlight of the programme was the ‘mock ward’ exercise in the RILD Clinical Skills rooms, which gave pupils the opportunity to experience how a real-life ward is run. By acting out the roles of doctors, physios, OT, nurses and housekeepers alongside RD&E staff they were able to learn more about the roles involved in patient care and the challenges that staff face.

Fifteen year old Kelsey Ellacott, from Tiverton High School, hopes to be a midwife one day. She took on the role of a nurse on the mock ward and said: “This whole week has been really interesting. On the mock ward it gives you an insight into what they do and how they do it as well. Being here has made me want to be a midwife more.”

Throughout the week the pupils were also given an introduction to every aspect of life at the RD&E. They enjoyed practical training sessions in manual handling, basic life support and clinical skills, and got to grips with everything from tissue viability to infection control thanks to presentations from staff. They also made visits to Hospiscare, the Clinical Skills Lab and the Laundry/ HSDU, and shadowed staff across the hospital to observe day-to-day work at the RD&E.

Teena Evans, Learning and Development Tutor at the RD&E said: “Our Work Observation Week allows the children to participate in various activities, visits and placements so they can find out how the RD&E works, and encourages them to think about a career in the NHS.”