Nearly two thirds of institutions providing nursing degrees are boosting
their entry requirements in the guise of stupendous requirement for places. As
revealed by Nursing Times in its investigation.
The study of higher education institutions also discovered large difference
in the grades universities require from potential nurses and in the extent of
time students spend on placement.
Admittance requirements for nursing degrees vary between 80 University
College Admissions Service (UCAS) points, similar to one C grade at A-level, to
320, similar to an A and two Bs. Time on placement at the same time vary
between 53 weeks to 85 weeks over a three year degree.
According to Nursing Times?, of the 54 universities who responded to their
request for information regarding their three year undergraduate adult nursing
program, 62 percent disclosed they had boosted admittance requirements or were
thinking of doing so, for the most part because of high demand.
Student adviser at the Royal College of Nursing, Gill Robertson, explained
it was probably the ?social economic climate? was arousing interest in nursing
courses as people search for a more stable career.
She claims degree level education was crucial because of the growing requirement
for analytical and decision making skills among nurses.
?People who can?t meet that requirement can still care as associate
practitioners or healthcare assistants? you have to have academic ability [to
be a registered nurse].?
On the other hand, Dave Munday, lead professional officer at Unite,
expressed he was concerned that some people who are likely to become excellent
nurses could be excluded by growing admittance requirements.
The investigation discovers universities were imposing for an average of 235
UCAS points for their next intake; similar to three Cs at A-level, with a lot
also detailing one of the subjects was a science. Previous nursing diploma
courses, which will be terminated by 2013 when the profession changes into
degree only, have been open to applicants with five GCSEs at grade C or above,
in keeping with the Nursing and Midwifery Council?s minimum requirements.
Matthew Hamilton, the director of policy at the Council of Deans of Health,
explained institutions would nonetheless bear in mind other suitable experience
and entry on to degree level courses would be accessible through foundation
courses or other A-level equivalents.
Hamilton
said: ?We?ve got to welcome and celebrate the fact we?ve got more people
wanting to be nurses than ever before.?
On the other hand, a lot of universities are accepting up to 10 applicants
for every place.
Starting next year candidates to the densely oversubscribed Florence
Nightingale School of Nursing at Kings College London will be demanded to have
320 UCAS points, making it the most demanding course to get on to academically
in the UK.
Although, school head Professor Anne Marie Rafferty warned grades alone would
not assure a place if the student did not deliver well at interview or pass
numeracy or literacy tests.
Ms. Rafferty revealed boosting entry requirements were a ?positive trend?
inasmuch as the profession where boosting acuity, complexity, and dependency of
patients signifies there was a requirement for a ?highly educated workforce?
although distinct entry requirements made courses that provide for ?different
parts of the labor market?.
At most over a tenth of courses demanded for more than 300 UCAS points, at
the same time merely six requested for less than 200. The latter inclined to be
courses, like those at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen and Nottingham
University, where students could continue to finish a degree or a diploma
depending on their accomplishment during the first year.
NMC?s spokeswoman revealed there were no plans to press minimum UCAS for
entry on to nursing courses once the profession became degree only. NMC
accredits all nursing courses.
?As we move towards the degree-only education system it will remain important
that higher education institutions have the flexibility to be innovative in the
development of curricular and be able to respond and adapt to constantly
changing health care environments,? added the spokeswoman.