Preparing for success: equipping our students to thrive. Summer Conference 2025

Beth Courtney, Assistant Librarian and Catherine Trinca, Knowledge Specialist, at the Library and Knowledge Services, Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust

Abstract

Our lightning talk outlines the development of our training offer for Student Nursing Associates (SNAs), and potential applicants for the programme, at Gloucestershire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. These sessions were created collaboratively by the Trust’s Library and Knowledge Services and Professional Education teams. Our offer was initially a preapplication programme titled ‘Prepare to Progress’, designed for potential SNA applicants to provide realistic course expectations, teach study skills and boost confidence in using library services (Trinca and George, 2024). This session has since been expanded to other unregistered healthcare professionals.

Following the success of the Prepare to Progress programme, and to address the need for additional support for SNAs once they have begun studying, we have subsequently developed a complimentary training programme, ‘Prepare to Pass’. This programme comprises two sessions, the initial session covering finding evidence, study skills and referencing, with the second covering the principles of evidence-based practice and critical appraisal.

Biography

Catherine is Gloucestershire Hospitals’ Knowledge Specialist and has worked in healthcare libraries for over 11 years. She also has 5 years’ experience working in a variety of academic libraries. Outside of libraries, she spends her time crafting and learning Italian.

Beth is Gloucestershire Hospitals’ Assistant Librarian. After an interesting pandemic career as an undertaker, and a year working as a library assistant in Glasgow’s public libraries, she is now enjoying her first professional librarian role in Gloucestershire. In her spare time, Beth is an avid theatre goer and spends most weekends travelling around the South West visiting friends and family.

Summer Conference 2025: Stop! Collaborate and Listen: Partnerships in Libraries

UHMLG’s 2025 Summer Conference brings together a range of fantastic speakers to look at partnerships within libraries. The conference is taking place in person at the Hive in Worcester and spans two half days (13-14 June, 2025). Our core audience is UK / Republic of Ireland health and medical librarians from the Higher Education and NHS / health sectors, but we welcome delegates from any area of librarianship, and from anywhere in the world.

More information / Book your place

For full information about the conference, and to book your place, please visit our Summer Conference 2025 page.