16 December 2014
SIR – Has it occurred to the UK nursing authorities that the current
university-based training system may be a significant disincentive for those
interested in a nursing career?
It certainly was for our daughter, an ideal candidate, who was
discouraged by a further three years in academic study after successful
completion of her A-levels.
John Kellie
Pyrford, Surrey
****Pyrford, Surrey
17 December 2014
SIR –
John Kellie is right to question the usefulness of a three-year stint at
university for those contemplating a nursing
career (Letters,
December 16).
The excellent ward sisters I encountered during the 13 years I
chaired an NHS Trust had learnt their profession effectively as apprentices
straight from school.
Young people not pursuing higher education should go to their
local hospital to try nursing for three months. If they are still interested
after looking after patients’ most basic and personal needs, they most likely
will make the grade and stick with the job instead of aspiring to
pseudo-management positions that have almost nothing to do with hands-on care.
Introducing degrees has changed the nursing profession.
Peter Hayes
Siddington, Cheshire
****Siddington, Cheshire
18 December 2014
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| Jessica Corner |
SIR – It is a myth that degree-level education for nurses is bad for
patient care (Letters, December 17). A study of nurses in 11 European countries
(including England) by RN4CAST, the research group, has shown that hospital
mortality is approximately seven per cent lower for every 10 per cent increase
in the proportion of nurses with degrees.
Research in America also found that a 10 per cent increase in the number
of nurses with a bachelor’s degree was associated with a five per cent
reduction in the likelihood of patients dying within 30 days of admission.
Given this data, it is unsurprising that every major British review of
nursing over the past 20 years has supported degree-level education as the
right preparation for the challenging and complex roles that nurses undertake.
We should be proud of our graduate nurses, help them to apply their
skills to lead innovation and improvement in patient care, encourage them to
engage in research and support them in challenging poor practice.
This should not distract us from a broken workforce planning system that
has delivered a predictable crisis in the number of new nurses following 20 per
cent cuts in the number of places between 2010/11 and 2012/13.
Related Articles
Prof Dame Jessica Corner
Chairman, Council of Deans of Health
London WC1
****Chairman, Council of Deans of Health
London WC1
22 December 2014
SIR – Prof Dame Jessica Corner quotes statistics
that purport to demonstrate that an increase in the number of nurses with
degrees has resulted in a decline in hospital patient mortality. Two events
occurring together do not necessarily have a cause-and-effect relationship.
Britain is experiencing a serious nursing crisis with a major shortfall
in the number of British-trained nurses available and an inevitable dependency
upon the recruitment of nurses from abroad. Insisting on degree-level
qualifications will deny many dedicated young people the opportunity to serve
in this wonderful profession.
Completing more traditional training and gaining experience on a
hospital ward establishes that the individual is truly committed to becoming a
nurse.
Malcolm H Wheeler FRCS
Cardiff
****Cardiff
