10.01.12
Nurses ‘lack compassion’ – Future Forum
The NHS Future Forum has issued its second phase report, and in its paper on education and training, it warns that problems with recruitment and training have led to concerning variation in the quality of care that nurses provide.
The report suggests that some nurses are not equipped with basic skills and even fail to understand the values of the health service. This follows concern that nursing is becoming too academic, as from next year nurses will require a full degree in the subject.
“Selection in nursing was a particular issue, with a sense that the focus has moved away from selecting students on their ability, capacity for compassion and caring and desire to work in nursing,” the report says.
“This has led, in some cases, to significant dropout rates and issues with basic skills such as numeracy.
“There was support [from members] for a more rigorous selection process for nursing school places and a strong belief that employers need to take responsibility for the quality of those trained in their locality.”
Professor Steve Field, chair of the forum, said: “Sometimes students are being assessed purely on an academic basis rather than also on their social skills and how they relate to people.
“There’s no doubt that to be a nurse in the modern world you need to be at a certain intellectual level, but that should not be at the cost of being able to treat patients with dignity.
“After all, the core part of nursing is caring for people when they are at their most vulnerable.
“We are not saying that university degrees are the problem, but we do think that a nurse is much more than a set of GCSE and A-level results.”
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley said: “This report highlights exactly why the Prime Minister set out our plans last week to improve the quality of nursing, and ensure that nurses can spend more of their time concentrating on caring for their patients.
“Our plans are based on established best practice, which we want to spread throughout the NHS, driving out poor performance. Our new education standards, including degree-level registration, will mean future nurses, midwives and health visitors continue to be equipped to work in the NHS.
“And the new independent group, the Nursing Quality Forum, will ensure strong national leadership to spread best nursing practice care across the healthcare system.”
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