P-04-659 Pay Student Nurses Their Full Travel Costs
P-04-659 Pay Student Nurses Their Full Travel Costs
This
petition was submitted by Steffan Thomas, having collected 102 signatures
online
Text of Petition
In
2014 the Welsh Assembly Government (WAG) changed its policy on travel to
placements, the work component of a nursing course. Before this change,
students were paid travel expenses from their home to their place of work. Now
students are paid the cost of travel from their home, or the university at
which they study. The smallest distance is then used to calculate the payment
they receive.
Student
nurses without dependents in Wales receive a bursary of approx. £100 to £500 a
month. The higher figure, spread across their work hours, reaches the minimum
wage at best. On placements, student nurses are expected to take on an
increasing number of the responsibilities of a nurse. They provide care –
washing, dressing, feeding patients; talking to patients and families; working
with healthcare professionals to improve patients' well-being. They are also
called on to show learning from these placements, and hone their skills in
patient care.
The
cut in travel allowances for these work placements means a total cut in the
amount received for being student nurse.
This
change has several ill effects It creates an incentive for Universities to
place students near as possible to campus – limiting the clinical experience of
student nurses before qualification It makes nursing less attractive to people
from rural or isolated communities It privileges nurses who live nearer to
their university, and could discourage those who are unable to move because of
commitments to children and others. It makes nursing less attractive to people
in full-time work, or from deprived backgrounds.
We
believe that student nurses should be paid their travel costs where they live,
to the places they work. We believe this change makes it less likely that
people will choose a nursing career, and we believe that it will limit the
range of experience that they have prior to qualification. We call on the WAG
to reverse this change, for the benefit of student nurses and their patients.
Business type: Petition
Reason considered: Senedd Business;
Status: For consideration
First published: 23/11/2015