All the qualified students who applied for a nursing course at the University were accepted, a month after industrial action was lifted by the nurses’ union mainly protesting against staff shortages.

A total of 170 students, five more than the stipulated 165, were admitted following negotiations between the government and the union, a Health Ministry spokesman said yesterday.

The Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses last month issued controversial directives to its members. A numerus clausus over the nursing course particularly irked the union, which had launched a two-year campaign to attract students to the sector.

The University said none of the applicants who had the nec-essary qualifications had been left out.

The 170 students are divided between those who will study for the diploma (135) and those who will read for a Bachelors degree (35).

The Health Ministry has been holding regular meetings with the union, a spokesman said, to iron out problems “and progress is being made”.

“We’re also waiting for the final number of nurses who will be employed. Unfortunately, the Public Service Commission takes a long time but that is understandable,” the ministry said, pointing out that the final number of local and foreign nurses, who were interviewed earlier this year, will be announced shortly.