Caring for nurses at university and beyond

This blog has been written by Rob Waterson, Dean of the School of Health, Sport and Bioscience at University of East London, and was originally published on London Higher's website.

As we mark International Nurses Day on May 12, the global nursing community unites to celebrate the nursing profession and raise awareness about the greatest challenges nurses around the world are facing. This year’s theme focuses on how “Caring for nurses strengthens economies”, emphasising the critical role nurses play not only in healthcare but also in bolstering economic stability worldwide. With the government laser-focused on its growth mission, and with the London Growth Plan recently launched in the capital, the economic part of this theme is sure to strike a chord with political leaders. In this blog, however, I want to hone in on what it means to care for our nurses and highlight some of the ways the University of East London (UEL) is doing so.

As Executive Dean of the School of Health, Sport and Bioscience at UEL, I am proud to work for an organisation that stands at the forefront of nurturing nursing talent, ensuring the wellbeing of our students and preparing them to make substantial contributions to both healthcare and the economy. Since introducing our Vision 2028 strategy, the number of learners on nursing courses at UEL has increased by 1500 per cent, so that now 1 in every 12 Adult Nursing students in London is studying with us. Our nursing course combines on-campus simulation-based learning with real-world hospital placements. Our £10m Hospital and Primary Care Training Hub is a European first in end-to-end simulation, meaning that even when students are not gaining experience in hospital, they are developing skills in a cutting-edge simulated environment. UEL’s courses ranked third in London for Teaching and Learning Opportunities in the National Student Survey 2024, reflecting our dedication to student experience.

Alongside resources, facilities and teaching, we must recognise the importance of instilling resilience and wellbeing in our nursing students. A recent report by the Nuffield Trust found evidence of soaring dissatisfaction rates among staff in the health service’s youngest cohort — those aged 21 to 30, in 2023. More than half (52 per cent) of this cohort said they had been made unwell through work-related stress in the previous year, compared with 38 per cent in 2013. And the legacy of the COVID-19 pandemic is very much still with us. Despite a cultural celebration of healthcare staff, the number of people studying to become nurses has fallen substantially across England, with some areas recording a 40 per cent drop in successful applications.

Recognising the vital importance of wellbeing in nursing, UEL places a strong emphasis on supporting our students’ mental and emotional health. In fact, we were one of the first five universities in the country to sign up for the University Mental Health Charter. The university offers a wealth of support services, including counselling and mentorship programs, to ensure that students can thrive both academically and personally. We also offer a specific wellbeing pathway for healthcare professionals, in recognition of the unique circumstances they often face.

With 2025 being UEL’s Year of Health, we are dedicating time, resources and attention to our incredible healthcare students. In a hugely exciting development, we are creating a campus dedicated entirely to medical care, training, research, innovation and outreach: our Stratford Health Campus. The campus is founded on the holistic approach outlined above and is set to include a new academic building home to lecture theatres and teaching rooms, a residential building with 650 student bedrooms to relieve pressure on local housing, a wellness centre, a staff and student nursery and green social spaces. UEL’s capacity for providing healthcare education will be enhanced as students will be able to live, study and socialise on a site specifically set up to equip them for careers in the NHS.

To those considering a career in nursing, as a nursing leader myself, I encourage you to go for it, and know that we, your colleagues, will always care for you.

Explore our nursing courses at UEL.