Earlier on this week, MUMN chief Paul Pace claimed that an average of 3 nurses are quitting their jobs at Mater Dei Hospital every week. Burnout, stress, and lack of new recruits seem to be contributing towards the problem. Meanwhile, nursing students following a degree on part time basis have been discriminated for the past 4 years. I write this with a heavy heart in the name of all part time students whose desperate pleas have been ignored for the past 3 years by parliament ministers, committees and organisations.
Four years ago the possibility of following a Nursing Degree on Part Time Day basis was introduced. This opportunity was a blessing, especially for mature students who couldn’t follow their lifelong dream of becoming registered nurses due to personal commitments. The Full Time Nursing Degree course takes 3 years to be completed. The Part Time Day Degree Course includes the exact same amount of study in theory and the exact same amount of placement hours, in which we are required to practice nursing skills alongside clinical mentors or registered nurses. The difference between the Full Time Course and Part Time Course is solely an extension of 2 years – we graduate in 5 years and not 3. Other than that, we learn and practice in the exact same way.
How are Part Time Nursing Students being discriminated?
Both Full Time and Part Time students are required to complete 300 hours of nursing practice in two consecutive summers (apart from other placements during the year – us part timers complete more than two summers in practice placements…but let’s leave that aside). Two summers ago, Full Time students were granted approximately Eur1024 for their hours on placement. Last summer, Full Time students were granted approximately Eur1857 for their 300 hours on placement. Remunerations are issued by the Ministry of Education.
In total, Full Time students were granted Eur2881 for two summer placements. What did us Part Time students get for the exact same amount of hours on practice placements? Nothing. Why? Just because the course is on Part Time basis.
And let us not forget the issue of stipends and grants…
The University of Malta website states the following, which is applicable to the Full Time Nursing Degree Course:
Students registered on ‘Prescribed’ courses receive a stipend of €160.55 every 4 weeks.
Students following “Prescribed” courses receive the sum of €798.81 per academic year.
Students following ‘Prescribed’ courses receive the sum of €698.81 at the beginning of the first academic year.
Some of the amounts mentioned are set to increase as per the latest announced Budget measures. Among the criteria for these allowances are the following:
A student must be attending a full-time day course; in case of full-time postgraduate courses, only those courses which lead to a professional warrant are eligible.
Not be in a full-time employment
If in part-time employment, one must not exceed the 20 hours of work per week during the academic year
What does all this mean? It means that as Part Time Nursing Students, not only are we completing our practice placements for zero monetary support – we are automatically disqualified for an average of Eur4,816 in stipends, an average of Eur2,396 in maintenance grants, as well as the initial one-time grant of Eur698.
In total…
Full Time Nursing Students throughout their 3 year course of studies receive at least Eur10,791c
Part Time Nursing Students throughout their 5 year course of studies receive NOTHING!
Have we attempted to bring attention to this? Of course! Throughout the course of the last 3 years we have been in contact with the offices of (at the time) Minister Evarist Bartolo, (at the time) Minister Owen Bonnici, Minister Chris Fearne, and lately the office of Minister Clyde Caruana who we are still awaiting a call from at the time of this article’s publication, as well as the office of Minister Justyne Caruana, who we haven’t even received any communication from as of yet.
Are we really recognising the seriousness of the nursing staffing crisis in Malta? If yes, then shouldn’t an investment be made in favour of the Part Time Degree Nursing Course? After all, such an investment would encourage individuals with side commitments, who otherwise wouldn’t be able to follow a Full Time course, to enroll for a Nursing Degree, increasing not only their personal prospects, but also the amount of future registered nurses in our country. This would counteract the current lack of new recruits.
As nursing students we practice nursing skills and assist patients with their requests and needs, providing direct contribution to the clinical tasks performed by qualified nurses. Similarly, just a few months ago when our country needed us, we set aside concerns about our own safety and vulnerability, and came together to contribute to the COVID-19 vaccination programme. We are actually being recalled to be of service right now to help with the booster vaccination programme. Through our contributions within the clinical setting, we can help alleviate some of the stress experienced by qualified nurses, whilst reducing burnout and the amount of qualified nurses’ resignations.
Unfortunately, to date, me and my part time nursing colleagues are struggling to keep up with our studies, our families and children needs, our loans, along with student expenses… we end up taking unpaid leave to make sure we miss no lectures, and to make time for our scheduled clinical placements. And after a day of lectures or a day on placement, most of us have to go straight to work for a 12 hour night shift in the healthcare setting. We are exhausted. We have strained our existing commitments to give our utmost attention to a profession we want to serve in. We want to be there for our patients. But we also want to feel appreciated, to be treated as equal to our other fellow nursing students. We are not asking for more other than what we feel we deserve.
Help us whilst we commit ourselves to be of service to our country in the very near future. If it was ever uncertain, this pandemic has taught us how valuable healthcare workers are to our society. Our country needs us and we are willing and want to serve. Do not keep on ignoring us. We call upon the authorities to show us, not with words, but action, that we are indeed valued as Malta’s future registered nurses.
Claire Galea is a mum of three currently reading for a Degree in Nursing at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, as a mature student. She is keen about holistic patient-centered care as well as public education about health-related subjects, which she frequently writes about on Wham as a Content Writer and Website Editor.
Claire is also passionate about spreading awareness on the negative effects that domestic abuse leaves on its victims’ mental, emotional, social and physical wellbeing. She is the author of two downloadable ebooks, namely Heal Your Life Forever and 5 Simple Steps To Creating The Life Of Your Dreams.
Click here to check out Claire’s full bio as well as a list of all her Wham published articles
