Students rejected despite shortage
'Students can help the already-strained nursing complement'
Scores of prospective nursing students will be turned away this year despite a shortage of trained professionals.
In all, 379 students applied for a BSc (Hons) in nursing and a diploma in health science but only 140 will be accepted. A University spokesman said there were no plans to extend the number of those who could be accepted in the course.
"The number of 140 students for the two courses was set after several meetings between the University and the Health Division," the spokesman said.
Just two months ago, the health authorities launched a campaign to entice more people to take up a career in nursing. The campaign worked, with the number of potential students' applications for the two courses more than doubling from 151 last year, with 91 students being accepted.
The Malta Union of Nurses and Midwives has condemned the decision not to open the course for more students and president Paul Pace said: "We expected all those who applied and have the necessary qualifications to be accepted".
He said that at the moment the health services required about 1,400 nurses, with Mater Dei Hospital alone in desperate need of 700.
"Not all the students finish their course and we lose between 60 and 70 every year to retirement, emigration and other reasons. By the time this group graduates, we will need even more nurses," he said.
Mr Pace said he was astounded to learn that students would be turned away following July's campaign.
He said the University had to take a good look at its resources and increase them in order to be able to accept each and every student who had the necessary qualifications.
"We need nurses but we are turning away students," he said.
Just before last year's general election the maximum number of students who could be accepted in the two courses was increased from 100 to 140. But Mr Pace said this was still not enough.
On the other hand, the health authorities said the 140 maximum was set to ensure all students would be able to complete the number of requisite practice hours in each area.
"The quality and quantity of the number of hours that every nursing student should complete throughout a nursing programme is stipulated by EU directives.
The University seeks to comply with this in an attempt to ensure all those graduating from Malta are recognised as nurses and eligible for employment in all EU member states and beyond," a Health Parliamentary Secretariat spokesman said.
Mr Pace, however, argued it was possible to accept more students and give them the necessary training, adding they could be of help to the already-strained nursing complement.