AIREDALE NHS Foundation Trust has celebrated the success of its international nursing recruits.

An event was held in the Airedale Hospital lecture theatre to mark a 100 per cent pass rate on the Objective Structured Clinical Examination programme, which internationally-qualified nurses must complete before they can register as a nurse in the UK.

Since the scheme was introduced at Airedale in 2019, the trust has welcomed 15 cohorts of international nurses – and all 161 recruits have passed the exam.

The celebration was attended by more than 75 of the successful nurses, plus their trainers, members of the trust board and colleagues who supported them.

Chief nurse, Amanda Stanford, says: "It’s important we celebrate the amazing success that our Objective Structured Clinical Examination recruits have achieved over the past few years.

"Many of the nurses moved to a new country and left their families back home to take on this programme and the first three cohorts even volunteered to work on a temporary register to support the trust during the pandemic alongside their studies.

"We hope this event shows them how valued they are within the trust and highlights the positive difference that they have made to the Airedale community."

The event began with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony symbolising positivity, light and knowledge.

Some of the nurses performed group dances and songs of gratitude, and shared details of their journeys from original interview to receiving their registrations.

The celebration was organised by senior sister Gintu Thomas, charge nurse Avinash Ganesh and junior sister Mothy Aravind.

"We wanted to put together an event that recognised the hard work and dedication international nurses have put in throughout their training programme," said Gintu.

"It was also an opportunity to thank the programme trainers, Liz Golden and Mark Stebbings, and all the staff who supported the candidates along the way.

"Airedale is so open to different cultures and it was great to be able to hold an event that was filled with music, light, dance and food.

"We’ve received some great feedback about the event and hope to hold more like this in the future."

Avinash, who began on the programme in November 2020 and is now a charge nurse in the hospital's cardiac catheter unit, says: "I was over the moon when the trust asked us to organise the event. It went brilliantly and was the talk of the hospital the next morning!"