On International Nurses Day, we’re pleased to welcome our latest cohort of Chief Nurse Interns. The Chief Nurse Internship Programme supports healthcare professionals to develop research skills. This year’s cohort is the largest ever and is the first to include interns from across Addenbrooke’s, the Rosie and Royal Papworth Hospitals.
The internships are open to junior nurses, midwives and allied health professionals (NMAHPs) at Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (CUH) and Royal Papworth Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (RPH) and provide support for them to spend one day a week on a research project and developing relevant professional skills.
By supporting NMAHPs to develop research skills and undertake collaborative projects the programme is part of how we ensure that research and innovation are integrated across our hospitals.
The latest group of interns have recently been welcomed to the programme by Lorraine Szeremeta and Maura Screaton, respectively the Chief Nurses for CUH and RPH.
The programme is supported by the National Institute of Health & Care Research (NIHR) Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre. This year’s cohort includes representatives from nursing, midwifery and physiotherapy.
Over the next year the interns will develop and pursue research projects as collaborative groups across CUH and RPH, that will deliver outputs and benefits across both trusts and healthcare in the Cambridge region.
Previously the programme has been run by CUH. This year, for the first time, the programme has been expanded to include RPH too.
I am delighted that we’ve been able to include colleagues from Royal Papworth in the latest cohort of interns. This is a great opportunity for talented nurses, midwives and AHPs to work together and acquire new skills.
The programme has been hugely productive for the Trust and rewarding for the interns themselves, with several securing further research fellowships. I’m pleased to be supporting a programme that has had such positive impacts on participants’ desire to further their careers and continue to play a part in providing care at CUH.
Lorraine Szeremeta, chief nurse at CUH
During each year-long internship, participants work as teams on collaborative projects that are intended to drive innovations in care delivery, workplace culture and ways of working.
Participation in the programme has proven to be a career springboard for participants with a passion for clinical research and has reinforced their commitment to working at CUH. Many former interns have advanced to more senior roles or expanded their responsibilities in research and education, including several that have secured competitive pre-masters and pre-doctoral research fellowships.
In previous years, interns have worked in groups to perform research into the improving the opportunities for ongoing professional development within healthcare roles, investigation of workplace wellbeing in the NHS following the COVID pandemic, and exploring factors that affect people’s desire to stay in NMAHP careers long-term.
The outcomes from previous projects have been used to inform policies and ways of working at CUH, and have been presented at conferences so that insights can be shared and used to inform and enhance healthcare across the NHS.
Sophie's story
Sophie Northfield is an occupation therapist at CUH who took part in the programme in 2024. Sophie joined the Trust in 2022 and applied to the programme as an opportunity to develop her skills and progress her career.
I didn’t know much about doing research as an occupational therapist. Even though it’s an important part of improving care, you don’t always get a lot of time to think about it on top of all your clinical work. I heard about the programme at a CUH event for allied health professionals and thought it could be a great chance to gain new skills.
Sophie
During the programme, Sophie learned key research skills and worked with other interns on a research project looking at NHS staff wellbeing. The experience she gained has inspired her to pursue further research.
I hadn’t considered a career in research before. Being on the programme broadened my horizons to new career options and showed me the many ways that research plays a role across healthcare specialisms.
Sophie
Since completing the programme, Sophie has continued to grow her passion for research. She is now leading her own research project and hopes to apply for a research Masters degree. Her goal is to investigate new ways to protect people in hospital from developing delirium – a mental change often associated with worsening health.
By continuing to work across care and research, Sophie hopes to become a specialist research occupational therapist.
If you are a nurse, midwife or allied health professional find out about developing your research skills at CUH.