Nurses left 'stacking shelves' after being locked out of graduate jobs, RCN says
The RCN’s student committee has written to chief nursing officer for England Duncan Burton demanding action.
The Royal College of Nursing has written to NHS England questioning why graduates are left “stacking shelves”, claiming they have been blocked from at least a third of England’s entry-level nursing jobs.
The union says that an urgent plan is needed from health leaders and government to ensure this year’s nursing graduates don’t face unemployment.
New nurses typically apply for entry-level Band 5 positions, however the RCN says these are frequently requiring post-registration experience.
This means graduates are being blocked off from certain entry-level jobs.
The RCN’s student committee has written to chief nursing officer for England Duncan Burton demanding action.
It wants an end to Band 5 positions needing post-registration experience and a published plan to close the gap between nursing graduates and funded posts before the next cohort qualifies.
Sophie du Plessis, RCN students committee member, said: “I wasn’t expecting to walk straight into a job, but it was so disheartening to see rejections appear in my inbox over and over.
“I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t thought about leaving nursing a few times, and I have both considered and applied for roles outside the profession.
“We’ve all witnessed and experienced just how understaffed nursing is. It’s painfully evident on almost every shift I have worked, yet the funded posts to employ us do not exist.”
The RCN says that no nursing graduate should complete their degree without a clear route into employment, at a time when demand is rising and nursing vacancies remain unfilled.
Alongside the letter, the union set out a variety of proposals, including prioritising new graduates for short term shifts and then guaranteeing them a substantive nursing role.
Patricia Marquis, executive director for RCN England, said: "Nursing students are the future of the workforce and patients need them in post. Services are being pummelled by record demand right now, yet the next generation is facing unacceptable barriers to joining our safety-critical profession.
“Workforce planning across education and health needs to be based on patient need, not tightening budgets, and the upcoming workforce plan is a critical opportunity to get this right.
“It is unacceptable for band 5 jobs to be advertised as unsuitable for new graduates and employers need to look again in the upcoming job review.”
Duncan Burton, chief nursing officer for England, said: "I understand how upsetting and frustrating it is for newly qualified nurses who may be feeling uncertain about securing their first role - no one who has dedicated themselves to becoming a nurse should be left wondering whether there is a place for them in the workforce.
"Recruitment to nursing roles is increasingly competitive in some parts of the country, but I want to reassure graduates that opportunities continue to exist and encourage them to think broadly about possibilities for their first post, including considering roles within community services, primary care, social care and the independent sector.
“We are continuing to work closely with employers, universities, and system partners to help connect newly qualified nurses with opportunities and support into fulfilling nursing careers.”