Boost for home as nurses qualify

FOUR nurses with a vast range of experience between them will be working with communities at a Suffolk care home after passing their latest exams.

Genevieve Nguya, Japhet Keteku, Nicholas Mensah and Francis Nyghe have all passed their objective structured clinical examination, enabling them to work as nurses in the UK.

The newly-qualified nurses have been working at Avocet Court in Ipswich, which is run by familyowned Athena Care Homes, over the past year as part of the care team while studying for their exams.

Genevieve, who works on the Powys community, was nursing in a primary care setting in South Africa before she and her husband made the decision to relocate.

Genevieve had worked in a range of settings including a private hospital and as an occupational nurse working for a large employer.

She has experience of counselling; working on a Covid vaccination programme and even gained her prescribing licence back in South Africa.

“What I enjoy about working in a care home is being with the people,” she added.

“Our residents are really interesting and each have their own unique ways.

“ While working here as a carer I have had the opportunity to form a bond and really get to know the residents.”

Nicholas and Francis were both practising as registered nurses in Ghana.

They applied to be a part of the Athena family together and have supported one another throughout their journey.

“You have to put a lot of time into studying for the first exam,” said Nicholas, having just passed his final exams.

He is working as a pre-registered nurse on the Cilgerran community at Avocet Court alongside Francis, and both have spent time getting to know the residents and their life stories so they can better understand their needs.

Francis got the news he had passed his exams recently, and said: “No-one told me it would be so hard but it was worth it.

“I wanted to work in the UK because I wanted to experience a different culture, and having Nicholas with me has helped because we both understand where the other is at.”

Ruth Garnham, general manager at Avocet Court Care Home, added:

“Not only are we gaining four new nurses but four nurses who know our residents and our homes.

“Over the past year Genevieve, Japhet, Nicholas and Francis have become valued members of the Avocet family and they have forged relationships with our residents.

“We are excited to see them progress in the next stage of their careers and further improve nursing care here at Avocet Court.

“Having four new qualified nurses within the team, plus another nurse currently going through our induction programme, means we can reduce agency use and offer more continuity to our residents.”