Dáil Éireann díospóireacht -
Wednesday, 29 Sep 1999

Vol. 508 No. 1

Written Answers. - Nursing Training.

Noel Ahern

Ceist:

473 Mr. N. Ahern asked the Minister for Health and Children when the nursing degree was introduced; the thinking of the time and the justification for changing the previous system of being trained on the ward; the number of nurses who have completed training on the new system to date, taken up normal nursing positions, remained in the nursing profession and taken career breaks or leave of absences; the number of nursing posts currently vacant in Dublin hospitals; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [17646/99]

Minister for Health and Children (Mr. Cowen):

The traditional apprenticeship model of nursing training was evaluated by An Bord Altranais in 1993-94 and a number of weaknesses were identified which militated against a beneficial experience for the student nurse. These included a lack of preparation for certain duties, insufficient clinical teaching, an emphasis on work rather than learning and an involvement in non-nursing duties. In the light of this evaluation, the apprenticeship model was replaced by a new registration-diploma programme in general, psychiatric and mental handicap nursing. The diploma based pre-registration education programme is offered by schools of nursing in association with the third level institutions. The objective of the transition to the new programme was to enhance nurse education and training. This was in line with key recommendations contained in the report, The Future of Nurse Education and Training in Ireland, published by An Bord Altranais in 1994.

The first nursing registration-diploma programme commenced on a pilot basis in University College Hospital, Galway, in association with the National University of Ireland, Galway, in October 1994. By 1998 all schools of general, psychiatric and mental handicap nursing had completed the transition to the revised model of training and education. The total annual additional cost of the diploma programme currently stands at £32 million.

The introduction of the registration-diploma programme was widely welcomed as offering new educational opportunities for the nursing profession. The registration-diploma programme was seen as possibly leading to a more broadly educated, more analytical and self-confident profession while retaining the core value of caring for patients.

I acknowledge that there are problems with the new registration-diploma programme and, in particular, the curriculum which places a heavy burden on the students in terms of the time commitment required of them over the three-year duration of the programme. Last year, I requested An Bord Altranais to examine possible ways in which these problems might be resolved. I am pleased to say that the board recently published a document entitled Requirements and Standards for Nurse Registration Education Programmes, which provides guidance for the development of flexible, innovative, practice-oriented registration programmes to third level institutes and health care institutions involved in the education and training of nurses. This document incorporates the findings of the comprehensive independent external evaluation of the first registration-diploma programme introduced in 1994 which was undertaken by Professor Helen Simons of the University of Southampton, and the relevant recommendations of the report of the commission on nursing.

The commission on nursing recommended that the current diploma model should be replaced by a four-year degree programme, incorporating one year of employment with structured clinical placements in the health services and that such a programme should be fully integrated into third level education. The commission also recommended that I establish a representative forum, involving the third level institutions, schools of nursing, health service providers and An Bord Altranais with the objective of agreeing a strategy for the implementation of degree level education in time for the intake of nursing students in the year 2002. The forum held its first meeting on 10 February and is proceeding with its work.

Around 200 of those that entered training in 1994 and 1995 have now qualified under the programme. The 1996 cohort of students numbering some 530 will not sit their registration exams until November 1999.

It is not possible to provide the Deputy with statistics on the number of nurses, who having completed the diploma-registration programme, have taken up positions as nurses, taken career breaks or leave of absence as this information is not available in my Department. There are currently some 536 nursing posts vacant in Dublin hospitals.