The Government's plan to increase nursing students is being cautiously welcomed by some health advocates who have also raised questions about its feasibility.
Health Minister Ayesha Verrall has announced nursing intakes for the remainder of the year will be boosted by up to 130 students. A further 700 trainees will participate in training courses next year.
Union the New Zealand Nurses Organisations (NZNO) estimates the country is currently short of more than 4000 nurses.
But it's chief executive Paul Goulter says the organisation has not been consulted and it should have as union nurses offer key support, mentorship and training to student nurses whilst on placements, an essential component of becoming a qualified nurse.
"We just hope this has been well thought through because it's not just simply a case of plucking people out, and training them, and calling them a nurse," Goulter said.
"We need to see a worked out plan with accountability sitting beside that."
Verrall said she has received an assurance from Te Whatu Ora that it has capacity to take the extra nurses on placement.
"We will need to be working with education providers to make sure we're identifying the eligible students coming through," she said.
"I'm aware that health officials have been working for some time with tertiary education organisations."
Auckland University's medical emeritus professor Des Gorman said the move was "a great idea" — to an extent. (Source: Breakfast)
Unitec associate professor of nursing Samantha Heath said the health sector is under stress and there will need to be a careful approach to the deployment of the additional nurses.
"We've got staff in the health sector that are already under stress," she said. "And being under that stress, they may not be able to provide the education we would wish the students to have."
Health advocates agree a plan and more discussion is needed to work out its practical application.
In the meantime, nurses are now deciding whether to vote for an historic, hard-fought for pay equity offer that the Government's costed at $4 billion.
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