Learning Support Fund Grant for Nurses

caitlinpearmund

Hello,

I am a final year student adult nurse from the 2018 cohort. I had to take an additional year of studies between my second year and third year, as I struggled with the pressures from the pandemic which lead me to have to retake some modules. In all 4 of my years at university I have worked full-time unpaid placements (other than 1 placement where I was paid by the trust), one and a half years of this have been spent working through a pandemic in acute hospital settings. In total I have have worked 7 placements and still have 1 more to complete next summer. I work 37.5 hours a week for approximately 9-12 weeks per placement. In several placements I have been counted in the numbers, even though I am unpaid. On top
of this, to afford bills, rent etc I worked my part time job on top of my degree some weeks working 60+ hours on my feet. I love my degree and I cannot wait to be qualified and doing the thing I love.

However, I feel angry and frustrated that the first and second year students who had to take an extra year in their studies have been completely disregarded in receiving the LSF Grant (Learning Support Fund) from the government. I pay over £9k a year to do my degree, I pay to work unpaid on wards (many of them with COVID). How is this fair? I was so happy when I heard the government was giving £5k per year to student nurses starting in 2020/2021. Although I missed out on 2 years worth of the grant I was happy that future student nurses were not going to have to go through what we did financially. In my retaken year (my year in between second year and final year) I was able to apply for this grant and received it with no issues. In that year I was retaking three modules which I had not passed from my second year. This included  having to retake the whole years worth of placements as they were automatically failed due to failed assignments.

I have now entered my final year as a student nurse and have been rejected for the LSF Grant. I was eligible for the grant this academic year (2021/2022) until the government decided to change their policy guidance in 09/2021. However, if I had retaken my third year instead of my second I would be able to receive the grant with no issues. So why is it any different for first and second years? 

£5k is a lot of money and could be life changing for many student nurses. We felt as if this was payment for all of the hours we have worked on placement. I am a full time student due to qualify next summer. I feel used and disregarded.

Caitlin