RCN survey: 20% drop in nursing degree apprenticeships, half of students consider quitting

The number of new nursing students has declined at an average rate of 6.7 per cent over the past four years

A new survey by the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has made a concerning revelation about the rise in nursing students contemplating quitting.

Nearly half of nursing students in England are contemplating quitting their courses before completion.

This alarming trend threatens the NHS England Long Term Workforce Plan, published a year ago, which aims to significantly expand the nursing workforce by 2036/37.

The survey also highlights a dramatic 20 per cent decrease in the number of students enrolling in nursing degree apprenticeships over the past two academic years.

This decline underscores the urgency of addressing the challenges faced by nursing students, including increasing financial pressures due to the cost of living, insufficient teaching and supervision, and mental health issues as the primary reasons for consifdering quitting.

In response, the RCN has outlined key demands in their general election manifesto, calling for universal maintenance support for nursing students and the reinstatement of government-funded nursing degrees.

RCN also believes that increasing financial support to reflect the cost of living, revising starting salaries for new graduates, and enhancing academic support are essential measures to prevent students from quitting.

Additionally, students have expressed the need for reduced interest rates on student loans.

“Government-funded nurse education, proper maintenance support and loan forgiveness for those working in the NHS would be money well spent," RCN Acting General Secretary and Chief Executive Professor Nicola Ranger said.

"Building a nursing workforce fit for the future is the best investment a government can make, benefiting our vital services and wider society.”

The removal of financial support for nursing students in 2017, including the end of the student bursary and the introduction of tuition fees exceeding £9,000 per year, has significantly impacted the number of applicants to nursing programs.

The RCN had previously warned that these changes would exacerbate staff shortages and deter potential students.

Moreover, the NHSE Long Term Workforce Plan, which aims to increase the nursing workforce from approximately 350,000 to 550,000 by 2036/37, faces significant challenges, as the number of new nursing students has declined at an average rate of 6.7 per cent over the past four years.

"For the Long Term Workforce Plan to get back on track, we need urgent action. The retention and recruitment of nursing staff will be key to driving down NHS waiting times and getting health and care services back on their feet," Professor Ranger concluded.