Thread by @JaneEBall

I’ve been talking with colleagues, students, staff locally and nationally regarding nursing students and #COVIDー19 1/

Arrived at a clearer view regarding what’s needed to enable nursing workforce expansion whilst maintaining standrards, and ensuring safety as best we can. 2/

First there are set of principles that must apply, regardless of solution or model adopted:
- students are students
- if they become workforce it must be their choice
- work must be outside/separated from their role as students
- they must be paid & have employment rights.
3/

The @nmcnews need to use their emergency powers to reduce total number of clinical hours required to achieve registration. But all who achieve registration MUST have passed academic and skills assessments.
No substandard or unsafe registrants. 4/

Reducing total clinical hours is THE MOST IMPORTANT measure @nmcnews could take. It needs to be on the table as an action for review now, today. It needs to be part of the emergency powers. 5/

Universities (with support of practice & regulator) need to urgently prioritise fast-tracking final year students to achieve academic & clinical competency standards required to enable them to be fully registered. (Expedited dissertation assessment & condensed final placement) 6/

Reducing total clinical hours required for registration will reduce burden for student supervision on NHS and keep the nursing workforce supply pipeline functional, easing flow through it. (No backlogs of ‘making up hours’) 7/

This is critically important to enable the expedited registration of curent third years, and maintain flow, so sufficient numbers of second years and first years can come through. (Reduce likely raised attrition due to #COVID2019 )
Plan beyond today, to 6 months, 12 months 8/