Commission backs degrees and calls for 'new stories' to promote nursing careers

2 March, 2010 | By Steve Ford

National campaigns are needed to “inspire” school leavers to take up nursing as a career and to encourage former nurses to return to the profession, according to the Prime Minister’s Commission on the Future of Nursing and Midwifery.

The commission’s final report, Front Line Care, says high quality care can only be delivered by a workforce that attracts and retains the best recruits.

The commission calls for the launch of “strong” campaigns to promote nursing and midwifery.

“They must position the professions as popular choices for school-leavers, and boost the recruitment of high calibre male and female candidates of all ages and backgrounds,” says the report.

It states: “New stories of nursing and midwifery are needed to create a fresh public image; raise general awareness of nursing and midwifery expertise; and highlight the many stimulating career opportunities as practitioners in every type of setting ranging from people’s homes to oil rigs, and as managers, teachers, researchers, scholars and policy-makers.”

The commission also recommended that the move to an all graduate entry profession, currently underway and due to be complete by 2013, must be implemented in full.

It says currently registered nurses should be “fully supported” if they wish to obtain a nursing degree. But it says it should become a requirement that all nurses in leadership and specialist practice roles must have a relevant degree by 2020.

“A career in nursing or midwifery based on degree-level entry offers an exciting chance to make a real difference to the health and wellbeing of people and communities, and facilitates social mobility,” the report states.

Additionally the commission said it backed the introduction of nurse revalidation – regular checks on competence and fitness to practise – called for more investment on continuing professional development, and said an urgent review was needed into strengthening the integration of practice, education and research.

Readers' comments (7)

Anonymous | 3-Mar-2010 12:12 pm
I should say as nurses we all enter the profession as high calibre practioners and continue to improve our professional and personal profile despite insurmountable obsticles put in our way by poor management practice and insufficient funding and staffing levels. Unfortunately mission statements, commission reports, the backing of the NMC and government opinion does nothing to put money in the pot and extra nurses on the front line of caring where it matters. How is it going to be possible to fully support all the registered nurses who wish to study for their degree, sick leave can't even be covered so how would study leave be covered or is this promised 'support' in our own time and funded by ourselves.
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Anonymous | 4-Mar-2010 5:17 pm
I have a Masters for which I took unpaid leave for one year for the diploma leading to an MSc. As I succeeded the diploma course I wished to go to the second year and read for an MSc so unfortunately had to resign from my post as they were unable to extend my sabbatical. I had to fund the university fees entirely myself and was totally unable to find another job afterwards!

One of my aims for doing this course was that our ward team was so badly managed and members all worked as individuals doing their own thing and unable to even communicate adequately. It was extremely difficult working in this environment and I decided I needed a break but wished to take the challenge of returning and trying to help rebuild the team even though it meant leading from the bottom up but my employers did not wish to upset their status quo by having an MSc in their team despite discretion, diplomacy and modesty which are amongs my personality traits.
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Anonymous | 4-Mar-2010 9:02 pm
I dont believe that having a degree will mean that we have a better workforce indeed from my experience to date studying for a degree in advanced practice have come to realize that the degree is awarded for tasks that I dont see as what we all went in to nursing for. It doesnt matter how good your practice placement etc is its judged on how well you can write an assignment and even this is marked on writing style,refrencing etc. Many good nurses are now put off CPD because of this its the type of assessment you wouyld expect doing an english or history degree.So it depends what they mean by recruiting high calibre persons is it the ones with straight A grades or those who demonstrate poeple skills,caring natures etc.Not every nurse wants to climb the management ladder for many its the clinical patient centred care we enjoy so I hope thats remembered in this new commission. I also remember when nurse training was moved to university instead of teaching hospitals to show nurses were professionals and increase our status but as usual we are expected to deliver the goods without any financial gain.
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Anonymous | 7-Mar-2010 12:32 pm
why can't nurses who have taken time out to undertake higher education get a job in the NHS?

When will the NHS recognise that experience gained outside the service could be a valuable asset instead of turning their noses up and refusing to employ nurses who have worked for many years at a reasonable level?
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Anonymous | 7-Mar-2010 12:38 pm
Anonymous | 7-Mar-2010 12:32 pm

CORRECTION TO MY COMMENT ABOVE, WRITTEN IN HASTE AND ANGER

why can't nurses who have taken time out to undertake higher education get a job in the NHS?

When will the NHS recognise that experience gained outside the service could be a valuable asset to them instead of turning their noses up and refusing to employ nurses who have worked for many years, at a reasonable level to match their skills and experience?

My experience of applying for jobs with the NHS is that their only interest is in employing the youngest cheapest labour at the lowest level.

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Anonymous | 7-Mar-2010 12:51 pm
continuation of comment above

my experience is that, as an experienced nurse with an MSc, on applying for a post with the NHS they reserve all their management and higher level posts for those who have made their career in the NHS but I also observed that even these opportunities are very limited and there is fierce, and I also witnessed unfair, competetion for very few more attractive jobs.

Why couldn't there be a similar career structure to that of medics. where dedicated nurses have something worthwhile to aim by specialising and climbing up the career ladder, if they so wish, followng their years of experience, skill development and specialist training. So many, not always through their own choice, get stuck at the bottom only begrudgingly marking time until retirement and feeling totally disgruntled which, as I have seen many times over, leads to health problems and depression. To put it in the words of the French not all nurses wish to remain for the rest of their career in the 'pipi-kaka' domain of medical bedside nursing and the demands on nurses as they get older and/or with other personal ties are often far too strenuous.
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Anonymous | 19-Apr-2010 3:34 pm
It's not what you know it's who you know. Simple nepotism carried out in every NHS trust in the land.

Doesn't much matter how shit hot you are or what qualifications you have - if they didn't sponsor you for a qualification or role then you're wasting your time expecting any recognition. Perhaps they get threatened by you taking initiative and trying to circumvent the time honoured route to promotion in the NHS. Sitting on your arse and doing nothing.

No new stories I afraid.

You could emigrate to a nice warm place where they do like to employ people based on skills?
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