Student nurses at Cardiff University say their student experience has been ‘tainted’ and trust ‘broken’ as a result of the university’s handling of a proposed closure of its School of Nursing.
The proposal to close the nursing school and some other departments was revealed last month, amid rising financial pressures at the university.
Speaking to Nursing in Practice, two final year students have shared their frustration at first hearing about the proposed closure via WhatsApp chats and a local news article, rather than directly from the university.
Nursing student Nico Campbell is a third-year nursing student who plans to work as a practice nurse after graduating.
They described ‘huge anxiety’ felt by students and academic staff when the closure plans were announced last month, with formal communications from the university received the day after the news had already been published in the media.
‘The fact that they [the university] had decided that students didn’t deserve to find out about something of this magnitude before it had reached the press felt quite egregious,’ Campbell said.
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They described being made to feel like ‘second class citizens’, with communication with students seeming ‘a real afterthought’ and ‘not thought out’.
Threat to future staff pipeline
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has condemned the closure plan, saying this could ‘threaten the pipeline of nurses’ in Wales.
Campbell said the proposed closure of the school of nursing could worsen the existing workforce recruitment crisis across Cardiff and Wales more widely.
‘It could have a massive potential knock-on effect on the staffing pipeline, and very much for local GP practices, especially as more and more student nurses are looking for local practice roles.’
Campbell has recently completed an ‘inspiring’ nine-week placement at a Cardiff GP practice. where they are hoping to return later this year, but said future plans are on hold while waiting for updates on the closure.
‘Trust has been completely broken’
Samah Taylor is a third-year nursing student who is looking to move into coronary care after graduation.
She had planned to return to Cardiff in the future to complete a PhD and later to teach, but said the university’s handling of the proposed nursing school closure has forced her to change her mind due to the stress and uncertainty she has faced.
‘The trust has been completely, completely broken. It’s really, really sad, because it’s just tainted,’ Ms Taylor said, speaking to Nursing in Practice.
Ms Taylor says she cannot separate her experience at Cardiff from the wider context of a nursing workforce crisis where many nurses are choosing to leave their post early due to high stress and poor pay and conditions.
Related Article: Petition challenges proposed closure of Cardiff nursing school
‘It really feels like this is a reflection of what the current profession is dealing with and the stresses that nurses are dealing with.’
‘Deeply regrettable’
A Cardiff University spokesperson said it was ‘deeply regrettable’ that students learned of the proposals from the media and stressed that the university ‘always intended’ to tell staff and students first.
‘We have been clear in our commitment that all our current students will complete their degrees, and while doing so continue to be taught well. This commitment also extends to any new students joining us in the academic year 2025/26.’
Cardiff University has confirmed there should be no ‘immediate impact’ on nursing students completing their studies in the short-term, including that for students starting Cardiff nursing degree programmes this year.
A consultation on the closure plans is underway and open for 90 days, until April.
Yesterday, Nursing in Practice exclusively published findings from a grassroots campaign group of Cardiff nursing students, Save Nursing.
Related Article: Plans to close Cardiff nursing school ‘threatens pipeline of nurses’
A Save Nursing survey revealed that many nursing students in Wales are facing ‘extreme stress’ due to rising living costs and insufficient bursary support.
A petition has been launched demanding Cardiff University keep its school of nursing open, it currently has almost 20,000 signatures with the goal of reaching 25,000.
Last November, RCN Wales warned that the future of primary care in Wales is ‘at risk’, with an ageing general practice nurse workforce and a growing nurse recruitment crisis.
