First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at Sighthill campus as Scottish Government announces an extra £3m to support student nurses
Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon visited Edinburgh Napier’s Sighthill campus today as the Scottish Government announced an extra £3m to support student nurses.
The First Minister met student nurses in the University’s Simulation and Clinical Skills Centre as she confirmed an increase in financial support for nursing and midwifery students with dependents to help parents and carers into the workforce.
The First Minister said: “Nurses and midwives play a vital role in Scotland – demonstrating amazing dedication, commitment and professionalism on a daily basis.
“The improved financial support for students with responsibility for a child or a family member can help these students overcome some of the barriers to pursuing a career in nursing or midwifery and is based on what students have told us about the challenges they face.”
After meeting nursing students and academics, she went on praise the facilities at Edinburgh Napier:
“I’ve been in other simulation clinics and was always really impressed, but this one is particularly good. The state-of-the-art equipment in here I think is excellent. You know from speaking to the student nurses here, that what they’re getting from the ability to carry out procedures on mannequins that are very, very lifelike but obviously without the risks involved with a normal patient, is hugely invaluable to them. This kind of facility is helping us train really high-quality nurses of the future.
“Healthcare is changing and the way that health professionals work has to change too. That underlines the importance of making sure that the training and the facilities and the education that we’re providing for student nurses is state of the art and reflecting that changing pattern of healthcare.”
