Catherine O’Callaghan | Staff Writer
Over 500 student nurses, midwives and supporters are expected at a demonstration this week in protest against the forced emigration that is occurring in the graduate nursing and midwifery sector. The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) along with student nurses and midwives will be gathering outside Dr Steeven’s Hospital in Dublin on Thursday March 6th at 2pm, for the ‘Everyone Loves Nurses’ demonstration.
The USI has called the initial training rate for graduate nurses and midwives of €6.49 ‘grossly unfair’, pointing out that it is only 75% of minimum national wage. They say that while the current starting salary in Ireland for graduate nurses and midwives is €22,000, the same graduates in Canada can earn up €43,614. This, coupled with long hours and an under-staffing crisis means that many graduates are opting to leave.
To tackle this problem the USI is requesting that Minister James Reilly bring about an open conversation between the USI and the relevant ministers about the current issues facing nurses, along with an increase in pay for the graduate nurse scheme and a conversation about the increase in student intern pay.
The ‘Everyone Loves Nurses’ campaign was launched last month outside Leinster House and seeks to highlight the forced emigration facing graduate nurses and midwives. Currently, over 5,572 people have signed an online petition to Minister James Reilly on the issue. Support for the campaign has been strong on social media, thanks to the hashtag #everyonelovesnurses and a widely shared student nursing documentary.
