A group of nursing students from LYIT were among more than 700 student nurses and midwives and supporters who gathered outside Dr.Steeven’s Hospital yesterday for a demonstration against the situation facing them as they graduate.
A number of speakers talked about their own personal experiences on the day and the challenges that they face.
The USI campaign, which has been initiated by students in third level education studying to become nurses and midwives in the future, seeks to highlight deficiencies in the pay and working conditions of student/intern nurses and midwives.
Students say that the initial training rate of €6.49* for intern student nurses/midwives is grossly unfair. Interning nurses and midwives work long shifts and often work just as hard as a full nurse.
In many cases, student nurses and midwives are filling the gaps that exist due to what USI believes are staff shortages and overworked busy wards. Students call for the state to pay a fair wage for the work that is carried out during this “Training” phase.
Graduate nurses and midwives starting salary is currently €23,129 (85% of the staff starting pay for the first year and 90% in the second year).
The group believe that this salary is too low for nurses and midwives after four years of training. Coupled with long hours and an understaffing crisis, many graduates are opting to leave. When benchmarked against other countries, the group say that graduate nurses and midwives start on much higher salaries and have much better supports and further training opportunities available.
USI is requesting that Minister James Reilly brings about an increase in pay for the graduate nurse scheme and a conversation to ensue about the increase in the student intern pay.
USI President Joe O’Connor said: “Anyone living and working in Ireland is entitled to a living wage; in particular the ones that care for the public. The majority of 2013 graduate nurses and midwives have left Ireland to work abroad. This unfair treatment cannot continue. If it does, we will be left with a problem of epidemic proportions: no nurses or midwives left to work in our hospital wards.
“The shortage of staff is already apparent on many wards and the added responsibility left on the shoulders of intern nurses and midwives as they try and learn the ropes. James Reilly needs to understand that when he said “emigrate or work in a fast food service if unhappy”, many graduates took him at his word – and now the situation needs to be rectified”.
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