Student nurses open up on 'anxiety' and fears, as numbers in training drop to near record low

Concerns grow that mounting pressure on the nursing sector could be keeping people away from entering the profession. Photo / Getty Images

Strikes, protests and negotiations over poor pay and working conditions have seen student nurse numbers dip to a near-decade low.

Students told the Herald they fear not being treated fairly on the job and not being able to live a "comfortable life" if they choose this career path.

It comes after Newstalk ZB revealed on Friday that the number of people studying nursing hit a near-decade low last year.

Emily Rose-Hamilton, a recent nursing graduate from NorthTec Whangarei, says studying was exciting and it felt as though you were really making a difference, and that feeling has not changed, however the feelings of anxiety have definitely overshadowed it.

"I still live at home paying rent to my parents, the idea of moving out paying rent, cost of food and still trying to save money to build up a savings/ save for a house I actually have had many breakdowns worrying about how far I'm going to get in life working as a registered nurse in New Zealand."

Hamilton also says that in the five months since she entered her workforce, she has already experienced what nurses know all too well: burnout.

"We do papers on what it will be like in the workforce in our final year and the most common theme is burnout"

Although still passionate about her job and the little joys it brings, she says that the burnout is often caused from "coming home each night and feeling like you have not done everything for your patients" due to the lack of resources and understaffing issues.

She says the prospects of work in Australia and the pay and lifestyle are becoming increasingly more tempting.

"In a time where locally-trained nurses are more important than ever due to overseas workers being stopped by Covid-19, it is essential that our Government works to retain these students.

"I just don't see why the Government doesn't see our value."

NZNO acting professional services manager Kate Weston said she was concerned that mounting pressure on the sector could be keeping people away from entering the profession.

"We're in a crisis situation. We have a real problem, we have high vacancies, and aren't able to backfill those."

Another nursing student, who wishes to remain anonymous, says that they have watched too many of her fellow classmates leave the course due to the prospect of not being treated fairly in terms of pay and work conditions whilst on the job.

"It's really upsetting watching your classmates and colleagues leaving something they are so passionate about out of fear for their livelihood. The current climate causes issues for nurses' quality of life, and patients' quality of care."

Infometrics senior economist Brad Olsen said that stagnant student nurse numbers may lead to problems down the track.

"The level of people going into nursing is concerning and disappointing at the moment, and it's a trend... we're going to need to reverse."

Newstalk ZB has revealed exclusive Infometrics analysis which shows the intake of those predominately studying nursing has stagnated, with the New Zealand Nurses Organisation (NZNO) saying it's time for action from the top.

Health Minister Andrew Little admitted it had been difficult to put a proper plan in place but said the new health agency Health NZ would help address the issue.

Ministry of Education data shows in 2011, some 14,600 people were studying nursing at a New Zealand tertiary institution. That figure grew over the first half of the decade – reaching 15,700 in 2015.

But since then, the numbers have dipped to just over 15,000 nursing students last year.
Little told Newstalk ZB the Government was not complacent and maintained Health NZ will bring some more pressure to bear.

"The difficulty has been, we've got 20 DHBs, we've got 20 different employers... none have really taken the lead on the future pipeline of nursing talent," he said.

"We've seen a steady-as-she-goes response to nursing intake.

"I think we've struggled to get a comprehensive plan together."