Wintec students award Thames Hospital as the best placement in Waikato

Wintec’s student choice award for Best Clinical Placement went to Thames Hospital, and Waikato DHB couldn’t be more thrilled for Thames.

“Thames Hospital is beyond excited to receive the award,” said Waikato DHB’s associate director of nursing Cheryl Atherfold.

Each year Wintec hold a special recognition ceremony as part of their graduation week, recognising students for outstanding achievement across the year at all levels of all programmes within the Centre for Health and Social Practice.

In addition, students get to nominate the Best Clinical Placement for an award and on 22 March they honoured Thames Hospital for its outstanding care and support of Wintec nursing students.

“What a magnificent achievement when you consider Waikato DHB provides in excess of 25,000 nursing student days per year,” Cheryl says.

As part of Thames, Hauraki, and Coromandel service the Thames team deliver an initiative that focuses on a rural student pathway Cheryl explains, “being recognised by students in this way is wonderful to know the rural programme is a success and that students are engaged and committed to providing care to our rural population.”

At the award presentation Thames Hospital was cited by Wintec students for its professional coaching from the experienced and compassionate registered nurses in the inpatient units. The students felt supported in experiential learning with a high degree of supervision and professionalism.

And they said the student nurses are valued highly and are supported to integrate and become part of the nursing team.