Project-2000 removed large numbers of student nurses from the wards as ward-based training was replaced by classroom-based training. The proposal is to amend nurse-training as follows. Revert to all nurses training on the wards as nurse-apprentices (this was essentially the situation prior to Project-2000). During this time they would be paid as apprentices – not taking on large loans etc as at present. After this they would graduate with a national diploma in Nursing studies which would qualify for either continuing as a ward nurse, with training and on-going study to enable those who so wish to develop skills and management expertise; or enable application for specialty training – which could be in any specialty eg midwifery, paediatrics, community nursing etc. This latter would have a university basis and nurses would graduate with BSc as at present. Credit would be obtained for the diploma element such that the academic component would only take 18-24 months. The benefits of this is that many more nurses could train and earn money as do other apprentices; ward staffing levels would increase; nurses could choose to proceed to more academic studies and do so at a time when they know where their careers might go. The costs of the extra training would be much lower than that currently applicable. Nurses who realised that nursing was not their vocation they would not have engendered unnecessary expense. This is a system that is well-recognised in industry and so precedent is established. It is argued that earning on the job, no university fees or loans and a more practical training will enable more recruitment and facilitate more nurses on the wards.
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