Four registered nurses and a mental health student called in on Year five pupils (ages nine and 10) at Henry Bloom Noble Primary School to talk about their varied work.

Practice nurse Greg Manning, who also works on the Air Ambulance; prison nurse Jane Bloomer; mental health nurse Andrea Marsden; coronary care nurse Claire Parsons; and student nurse Jordan Hogan spent the afternoon chatting with the youngsters and sharing experiences.

The children asked questions about a whole range of subjects and were particularly keen to discover the most disgusting thing the nurses had ever seen. Unfazed by any gory details, the children then tried on surgical face masks and were also given the opportunity to use a stethoscope to listen to their heartbeat.

The session was designed to increase awareness about the nursing profession and to encourage youngsters to consider it as a future career. Head teacher Rachel Ashley was enthusiastic about the visit.

She said: ’We were delighted to welcome a team of nursing professionals to HBN to celebrate 2020 being the Year of the Nurse & Midwife.

’It was great that the children got to see the range of roles held by nurses.

’They all enjoyed asking questions about the job and finding out about the important part all nurses play in our community.’

A health quiz rounded off the afternoon, with top scorers entered into a draw to win a medically-themed stationery kit.

Nobody left empty handed though, as each child received a pencil case, complete with Year of the Nurse & Midwife goodies, as a memento of the occasion.