NMC responds to RCN report about the need to increase and sustain the domestic supply of nurses

The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has published a report which highlights the importance of growing and retaining numbers of nursing students, apprentices and early career nursing staff in England.

Anne Trotter, NMC Assistant Director of Education and Standards, said:

“Nurses make such a positive impact on people’s lives every day, working across a wide variety of health and social care settings and caring for people in often vulnerable circumstances. It’s therefore essential that future and newly qualified nursing professionals are equipped with the knowledge and skills, support and tools they need to become vital members of the nursing workforce.

“As part of our commitment to this, we’re currently undertaking a review of nursing and midwifery practice learning to understand how we can best support student learning across the UK. For example, recent independent research which we commissioned, made recommendations to ensure placements are accessible, high-quality and well-resourced, with enhanced support for practice supervisors and assessors. We’ll continue to engage with the RCN and other stakeholders across the four nations of the UK as we progress the review.

“We also know that the transition from student to professional, while exciting, can be daunting. As new professionals put their knowledge and skills into practice, it’s vital they are supported to deliver the care people need every day. We encourage employers to use our principles of preceptorship as they continue to embed local and national programmes that set their newly registered professionals up for success.”

Other recent news…