Nurses to study to degree level from 2013

Do you think this is a good idea?

https://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/8355388.stm

This is already occurring in New Zealand. The girlfriend of one of my friends is having to do this to become a nurse, and has (hopefully) just finished her three years to get the degree.

I believe it is helpful dealing with the increasing needs of patients, not to mention the variety of problems of the patients they may have to deal with. In New Zealand its not all classroom and lecture theatre based work, from what my friends girlfriend had to say about it she spent a lot of time in third year actually practicing what they had been learning on shifts.

Nursing is not an easy job to begin with and I think anything which can be done to help nurses be the best they can at their jobs should be embraced. Its something I definitely support.

I think it's a good idea, but nurse's salaries should be greatly raised to the standard they should be. Who wants to train for three years only to receive poor pay!

My flatmate's already studying for her nursing degree

I thought nurses had to have degrees. My mom does. Or is that just here?

The job of nurse is so different now. More and more nurses are called upon to make clinical decisions.

I think its an inevitable move forward.

The nursing assistant or health care assistant is taking on the old roles of the nurse and the nurse is moving into specialised clinical areas. A degree standard of education will definitely be needed in the near future to be a nurse.

I think you can get a degree, which needs 'A' levels or a diploma which doesn't. I may be wrong but that's what I've read, anyway. I presume the article means that after 2013 all nurses must have a degree.

yeah at the moment you can either have diploma or degree in nursing or if you are old school you have a conversion course (if you have been registered before a certain year).

You can get on the degree without A levels provided you can convince the University that you are capable of studying to that level (mature students mostly).

The reason they need people trained to degree level to be a nurse is because the job is becoming more about diagnostics and treatment rather than care of the patient. Seeing as that has always been a Doctors area they must make sure a Nurse is as capable as a doctor to make such decisions.

Sounds like a very wise move then. I know nursing has always been a very pressurised and skilled job but this will presumably render them better equipped to deal with those extra demands.

Hopefully the salaries will go up to compensate. seems like they are trying to sneak out of paying doctors salaries to me

Its basically moving them up the scale to full capability.

Why have someone who is capable of doing diagnostic endoscopy and treating stomach or colon ulcers making the beds?

The health care assistants are now taking over the old role of the nurse. HCA's are becoming quite highly trained.

The Doctor will still have 4 years more training and salary will reflect that. However specialist nurses will have to work under the cover of a Consultant, therefore although there is still personal indemnity ultimately any decisions made are the responsibility of the Consultant.

Nurses will never earn the same as a doctor but it is easier for them to climb the ladder now and be paid accordingly than it ever was in the past.

That's a good thing then
and sounds better for the patients as well!

hopefully much shorter waiting lists.

I only support this if nursing salaries go up as well. If you're going to spend 3 years training, and most likely end up in a lot of debt, the pay has got to be worth it!