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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| NHS care 'left to student nurses' | NHS care 'left to student nurses' |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Lives are being put at risk because student nurses are being left on their own with patients, a study has claimed. | Lives are being put at risk because student nurses are being left on their own with patients, a study has claimed. |
| A poll by the Royal College of Nursing of 1,500 student nurses found nearly half had been left unattended with patients without warning. | A poll by the Royal College of Nursing of 1,500 student nurses found nearly half had been left unattended with patients without warning. |
| Guidelines say student nurses should always be monitored except those in their final year and even that has to be prearranged. | Guidelines say student nurses should always be monitored except those in their final year and even that has to be prearranged. |
| The government said patient safety was of "paramount importance". | The government said patient safety was of "paramount importance". |
| It should not be happening and is a risk to patient care Gill RobertsonRoyal College of Nursing | It should not be happening and is a risk to patient care Gill RobertsonRoyal College of Nursing |
| The survey showed 44% of student nurses had been left unattended without warning and without a doctor or qualified nurse present. | The survey showed 44% of student nurses had been left unattended without warning and without a doctor or qualified nurse present. |
| Eight in 10 of those said it had happened on at least three occasions. | Eight in 10 of those said it had happened on at least three occasions. |
| Of the 553 first-year students quizzed, 42% said they had been left on their own. | Of the 553 first-year students quizzed, 42% said they had been left on their own. |
| And 15% said they had witnessed adverse events while left unattended. | And 15% said they had witnessed adverse events while left unattended. |
| But 84% said they did not report that they were left unsupervised. | But 84% said they did not report that they were left unsupervised. |
| Extremely ill patients | Extremely ill patients |
| Gill Robertson, the RCN's student nurses adviser, said there were reports of students just eight weeks into their training being left alone. | Gill Robertson, the RCN's student nurses adviser, said there were reports of students just eight weeks into their training being left alone. |
| She said this could happen on surgical wards and other areas of a hospital where patients were extremely ill. | She said this could happen on surgical wards and other areas of a hospital where patients were extremely ill. |
| "That is like the average person being left with a patient. It should not be happening and is a risk to patient care." | "That is like the average person being left with a patient. It should not be happening and is a risk to patient care." |
| She added nurses were being stretched because of the cuts being made - the RCN estimates over 22,000 health staff posts have been lost in the last 18 months. | She added nurses were being stretched because of the cuts being made - the RCN estimates over 22,000 health staff posts have been lost in the last 18 months. |
| And another survey of nurses working in 173 hospital wards revealed a third of nurses thought patient care was being compromised on each shift because of reduce staffing. | |
| RCN general secretary Peter Carter agreed the financial problems in the NHS was to blame for the problem | RCN general secretary Peter Carter agreed the financial problems in the NHS was to blame for the problem |
| "Those registered nurses left have to do ever more with even fewer resources." | "Those registered nurses left have to do ever more with even fewer resources." |
| Mr Carter also said he was concerned by the reports of student nurses not being able to get jobs once they had qualified. | Mr Carter also said he was concerned by the reports of student nurses not being able to get jobs once they had qualified. |
| "I am hearing worrying stories from nurses who qualified last September who are still unable to get jobs because trusts are freezing entry levels posts to save money." | "I am hearing worrying stories from nurses who qualified last September who are still unable to get jobs because trusts are freezing entry levels posts to save money." |
| Health Minister Lord Hunt said: "Patient safety is of paramount importance to the government and NHS staff alike. | Health Minister Lord Hunt said: "Patient safety is of paramount importance to the government and NHS staff alike. |
| "We would expect any nurse, whether in training or in practice, to report any incident they feel has an adverse effect on patient safety." | "We would expect any nurse, whether in training or in practice, to report any incident they feel has an adverse effect on patient safety." |
| Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb said: "This is extremely worrying - patients' lives could be at risk. | |
| "The damaging deficits in the health service not only result in job losses but have a serious impact on the remaining workforce." | "The damaging deficits in the health service not only result in job losses but have a serious impact on the remaining workforce." |