Seanad debates

Friday, 19 February 2021

Student Nurses (Pay) Bill 2021: Second Stage

 

10:30 am

Photo of Malcolm ByrneMalcolm Byrne (Fianna Fail) | Oireachtas source

Like others, I thank Senator Hoey for bringing this Bill forward and allowing us to debate this issue. I also thank the Minister for coming to the House.One of the bigger questions we need to ask is why student nurses ended up in our healthcare system, essentially having to do the work of nurses and midwives. As students, they should not be expected to do this work. The challenge has been that we have had an underfunded and under-resourced health system for quite some time. One of the things that was overlooked in the budget was that the Minister was able to secure an extra €4 billion for the health service, the largest increase in the health budget in the history of the State, which will allow us to transform our health system. I hope we will never see a situation again - obviously, none of us wants to see a pandemic - that student nurses and midwives have to step into the role of nursing staff and that we will have a sufficient number of clinical and front-line staff within our healthcare system. The Minister is to be congratulated on that because he addressed the underlying problem as to why student nurses had to be step in and that deserves recognition.

I agree with the comments made by my colleague, Senator Ahearn, around the clinical placement issue and some of the challenges in that regard later in the year and that is something I hope the Minister will address. I was very struck by Senator Sherlock's definition of work, with which I certainly agree and which I am very clear about. If somebody works, then he or she should be paid for that work. In this context, during the course of the pandemic, student nurses and midwives worked. That was acknowledged in that many of them were directly employed as healthcare assistants but there were other instances where they were clearly engaged in work and it is arguable that it was not recognised.

The challenge, however, is the situation that will arise when we move beyond this pandemic, and we all hope that we will be out of it as soon as possible. Where is the line drawn between work and education? This is going to be a challenge for the legislation and it will need to be clarified.

During my student political days - Senator Hoey referred to her own - the big debate that was going on was the move from the vocational model of nursing education to this professional, academic, four-year degree model. It was a controversial decision at the time but was the right one. It means that we have probably the best model of nursing education in the world. It is something of which we should be very proud and the quality of our education is part of the reason our nurses are sought internationally. We should not go back to the vocational model.

On the point made on the exploitation of students, that has to be condemned in the strongest possible way. I hope students who felt that they had been exploited in any way, or put into situations in which they felt uncomfortable, reported that to the director of nursing and to the directors of the programmes in each of the universities where the nursing programmes are run. The exploitation of students is unacceptable and it should not have happened in any of the hospitals or in any of the universities in which there are students. I am quite certain the Minister would share that view.

It is very important we put on the record of this House our thanks to all of those student nurses and midwives for stepping up to the plate. They deserve to be rewarded and recognised for the work they have done. We need, however, to look at the longer term issue as to where the line falls between what is work and what is education and training and I am conscious of the issues raised by Senator Mullen.

In a broader context, I hope the fact there is such significant additional investment in the health service will mean far more employment opportunities for those student nurses and midwives when they graduate and, most importantly, a reduction in waiting lists and an improved quality of service for patients in the system. In addition, I hope that not only will we have the best education system for our student nurses but that we will have the best public health system in the world which will be able to serve all of our people.It is often said, somewhat unfairly given the Minister has a very difficult job, that just because he cannot do everything, in some way he is being mean and that he does not understand. I know the Minister personally to be someone of deep compassion, who is passionate about wanting to get the job done. Our challenge in this House is not only that we address this issue but also that we acknowledge the additional investment and ensure that student nurses and midwives are never put into that challenging situation again.

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