Two thirds of student nurses in Scotland have considered dropping out of their courses due to financial stress, while 99% say money is a worry, according to a Royal College of Nursing (RCN) report.
RCN Scotland’s report, titled Nursing Student Finance: the true cost of becoming a nurse, holds survey data taken from more than 1,000 student nurses in Scotland.
It showed a significant amount of stress within the student nursing community around finances, and RCN Scotland has now called on the Scottish Government to address the cost-of-living crisis for this group.
The report found that two-thirds of nursing students (66%) who responded had considered dropping out of their course due to financial concerns.
In addition, 3% reported that they had already temporarily paused their studies in the last six months due to financial concerns.
Broken down by age, the survey found that 59% of 17-24-year-old students had considered dropping out of their courses due to finances; this figure rose to 70% for students aged 25-24, and 66% for 35-45-year-old students.
The majority – 65% – of survey respondents said they had taken a job alongside their studies to fund their way through the course.
“With the increased costs of living, I sometimes have to choose to work 70+ hours, in three different jobs, to ensure I have a warm house, and food,” one student told the survey.
Almost half (45%) of survey respondents said they were working between 16-25 hours per week, alongside their full-time studies.
One student said finances were the “number one” concern they had, while anotther was concerned they were unable to feed themselves while on a placement.
“I’m feeling so burnt out, I feel anxious, depressed… I wish we had proper childcare funding and then at least we would have some money to pay the bills and buy proper food shops.”
Scottish nursing student
The report highlighted, in particular, a worry for those with dependents, especially young children.
A second-year adult nursing student told RCN Scotland: “I don’t think I will be able to finish my degree if I don’t get more help financially.
“I regularly don’t eat so I can feed my children. I am exhausted both physically and mentally trying to work and study and it’s not sustainable.”
Another student, who also has children, added: “We are constantly stressed about income. I have joined the staff bank to work as a [support worker], which I hope will help us.
“But in reality it’s going to affect my mental health even more as I’ll have less time with my child and partner, more time spent away and less down time to recuperate.
“I’m feeling so burnt out, I feel anxious, depressed… I wish we had proper childcare funding and then at least we would have some money to pay the bills and buy proper food shops.”
The nursing bursary was another big point of concern for survey respondents.
Almost all (98%) of surveyed student nurses said the bursary was not enough to cover their full expenses. Just over 10% said it covered “most” of their living costs.
The bursary, in Scotland, is administered by the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS), and was upped from £6,578 per year in 2018 to £10,000 in 2021.
However, the RCN claimed that, if inflation does not fall below 8%, the current bursary, in the next academic year, will have a purchasing power of £6,800 – almost back to the 2018 level.
A second year mental health nursing student told the survey they felt they had “sacrificed” a lot to be a nurse, and that the bursary had not been enough to cover that gap.
“We are the only students that have to study/be on placement through school holidays,” they said.
“I feel the bursary does not take these factors into consideration. I also feel I am unable to take as many bank shifts as I need due to the volume of work we have as nursing students.
“It is a battle between taking shifts and having money and failing with studies or having no money and putting all my effort into studies so that I can qualify at the end.
“However, my biggest challenge is childcare on the school holidays and [I] don’t feel this is taken into consideration for nursing students.”
Additional money is administered, up to £3,640, if a student nurse has a partner with a low income, are registered as a carer for an adult dependent, or if they have a child dependent.
However, the feeling from RCN Scotland’s survey is that this, and the main bursary, still is not enough to meet the rising cost of living.
The survey also found the cost of going on a work placenment, a crucial part of nursing education, to be an undue financial burden.
A second-year children’s nursing student said they were in a “worse financial position” after they go on each placement, and that the pressure was mounting on their family.
Current SAAS guidance reads: “If you expect your travel costs to be more than £30 each day, you should, if possible, stay in local accommodation nearer to your placement.”
But RCN Scotland’s report claimed the geography of Scotland made this unviable, referring to costs of up to £100 a night in areas common for tourists, such as the Highlands and Skye.
Nurses told the survey they felt additional money given out by SAAS to cover travel for placements was also not enough.
The report made five recommendations to the Scottish Government and SAAS, including for a “cost-of-living increase to the nursing student bursary and associated allowances”.
The Scottish Government has been approached for comment on the report and its recommendations.