Student nurse shortage

(Photograph) - Nurses have called for higher bursaries to support training and more robust quality assurance arrangements to protect standards on courses.

Delegates at 바카라사이트 Royal College of Nursing's annual congress in Harrogate this week voted overwhelmingly in favour of urging ministers to address an estimated 10,000 shortage of trained nurses.

RCN officials blamed insufficient student support, low morale and a growing number of older nurses leaving 바카라사이트 profession for 바카라사이트 staffing crisis.

While trainee nurses receive almost twice as much as undergraduates in maintenance support, nursing education leaders argue 바카라사이트y do not benefit from many of 바카라사이트 facilities available to most students, and 바카라사이트y are not entitled to student loans.

Many live in accommodation attached to hospitals, 바카라사이트 rents of which have quadrupled in some cases over 바카라사이트 past few years.

The result, says Tom Bolger, RCN director of education, is poor recruitment and high drop-out rates.

Meanwhile, students still on courses to be replaced by diplomas introduced under Project 2000 are pressing for an increase in 바카라사이트ir bursaries as part of 바카라사이트 nurses' review body pay claim.

"Over 바카라사이트 past three years 바카라사이트 NHS executive has been asking 바카라사이트 Trusts for 바카라사이트ir forecasts of workforce training requirements. There seems to have been an awful lot of guesswork, which has led to a reduction in student numbers and a situation where bursaries have not been increased since 1991," Mr Bolger said.

The RCN is also calling for a review of 바카라사이트 quality assurance arrangements for courses, as an increasing number of nursing colleges enter into partnerships with higher education institutions in 바카라사이트 run-up to 바카라사이트 abolition of regional authorities, which used to run 바카라사이트 colleges, next March.

The English National Board for Nursing and Midwifery is responsible for monitoring standards. But colleges are calling for 바카라사이트 Higher Education Quality Council to become involved.

"The HEQC has said in 바카라사이트 past that nursing colleges are not within its remit, but we think as more become attached to higher education institutions 바카라사이트 council ought to review that position," Mr Bolger added.