Almost all nursing students are worried about their finances, with more than half having to cut back on food or bills to cope with the cost of living crisis, a survey shows
Almost all nursing students are worried about their finances, with more than half having to cut back on food or bills to cope with the cost of living crisis, a survey shows.
Some 95% said finances are a concern, while as many as 56% of these said they have cut back on essentials such as food or heating and electricity bills as a result, polling by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) found.
And a third (34%) said they are short by over £500 at the end of each month, forcing them to cut back on essentials or go into debt. The leading union warned the cost of living crisis risks “choking off the supply of nurses at the source” as nursing university degrees become affordable for many. One student told the RCN they face a “lifetime of debt” for wanting to become a nurse.
Elsewhere, the survey found nearly two thirds (63%) have considered quitting, up from nearly half (46%) last time the survey was run. Balancing paid work and study (71%), stress and mental health challenges (64%) and financial difficulties (63%) were given as the top reasons.
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The RCN is calling for universal, uplifted financial support that rises in line with inflation each year on top of existing funding. And it is calling for upfront grants to cover additional costs unique to nursing degrees, such as travelling to clinical placements.
Joshua Parker-Walsh, a second year adult nursing student at Birmingham Newman University, said: “To make it work we’ve cancelled all our direct debits, including for electricity and heating, and then we pay what we can afford when the money comes in. Our priority is our mortgage, food and our kids. But we’ve now had emails from the electricity company threatening to send someone round to the house.”
Elektra Ellis, a second year adult nursing student at the University of Lancashire, said: “I originally studied in Plymouth, but I had to drop out because I just couldn’t afford to live, even while working three days a week as a Health Care Assistant on the side. My mental health was in the gutter from the lack of support and I had to leave.
“Now I study at a different university, but I still think about money every single day. I limit how many washing loads I put on to keep the bills down. I have two credit cards and it’s the norm for students to have at least one. You see the petrol prices go up and you have no idea where that money is going to come from. We’re all paying to be here and are facing a lifetime of debt, with additional interest now.”
RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, Professor Nicola Ranger, said: “Nursing students are the future of the NHS workforce, but this is a crisis that risks choking off the supply of new nurses at the source. It is abhorrent that anyone should have to go without food or heating, be pushed into debt, or struggle to have enough for their children, let alone those who want a future in nursing.
“University should be about learning, gaining experience and developing skills, not worrying about what bills might be coming through the door. Protecting patients means protecting the future of nursing, which is why we need a new deal for future generations of the NHS workforce.”
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesman said: “Nurses are the backbone of our NHS, and it is vital that they are equipped with the tools and resources required to deliver world class care to those who need it.
“There are support measures in place to support nursing students, such as a non-repayable grant of £5,000 a year for eligible students, as well as additional incentives for priority specialisms such as mental health nursing and learning disability nursing. Financial support is also available for childcare, dual accommodation costs, and travel.
“Our upcoming 10 Year Workforce Plan will set out a clear roadmap to improve working lives in the NHS, including better treatment of staff, higher-quality training, and more fulfilling roles.”
::: The RCN received responses from 2,504 individuals currently enrolled in nursing courses across the UK, in its State of the Student Nation survey.