Student nurses and midwives are to remain off placement until at least Monday, February 8th, and are likely to return on a phased basis.
Earlier this month, the Department of Health suspended placements for students in first, second and third year for at least two weeks, in order to allow senior staff who oversee their training to return to hospital frontlines.
SIPTU said in a press statement that it was informed about the suspensions being extended on Thursday night.
SIPTU Industrial Organiser John McCamley said: “Over the last number of days, SIPTU representatives have raised our members deep frustration and annoyance at the haphazard manner this process has been handled and the very real concerns held by student nurses and midwives around their education, health, well-being and financial challenges.”
“It is our understanding”, McCamley said, “that students will not have to make up the time for the first two weeks of this suspension as different processes are being put in place to facilitate this. However, no clarity has yet been provided with respect to the additional week or any further additional weeks of hiatus”.
“SIPTU will continue to argue for proper protections within the workplace for students across all health grades and to insist that appropriate financial remuneration is provided for those who carry out essential frontline duties.”
Last March, nursing students were offered contracts to work as healthcare assistants in hospitals during the pandemic, but there will be no such arrangement on a national level this time.
However, hospitals can decide at local level to take on students as healthcare assistants if they consider it necessary.
Earlier this month, a review commissioned by the Department of Health proposed that student nurses and midwives be paid €100 per week for the duration of the coronavirus pandemic.
The proposal was met with disappointment and frustration from student members of the INMO. The proposed payment works out at about €2.56 per hour for a 39-hour work week. The government and the representative bodies for nurses and midwives have not yet agreed on the proposal.
Last year, the government shot down a private members’ motion that would have seen the Government support pay for student nurses and midwives as health care assistants throughout the coronavirus pandemic.
Correction: 17:04, January 30th, 2021
An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that student nurses and midwives would remain off placement for at least two weeks. In fact, they will remain off placement for at least a week and three days.
