Health, sustainability and student travel.

A survey of 246 pre-registration nursing students in a University in the South West of England was carried out to explore the impact of course related travel on the student experience. Results from the survey indicated that students' main mode of transport to practice placements was by car which reflects the rural nature of the South West and the relative paucity of public transport. Long distances that many students travel to their study centre and to placements, and the concurrent financial strain that this creates, impacted negatively on the student experience. Students recognised the need to travel to a place of study and clinical placements and suggestions of minimising the negative impact of travel were offered. These included the increased use of electronic delivery of lectures, attendance at local university premises, the provision of shared transport to placements and placements closer to the student's home. Few students, however, considered the environmental impact of travel. Higher Education Institutions need to address issues of sustainability through promoting student wellbeing and taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. It is therefore important that student awareness of sustainability related issues is increased as well as focusing on reducing the environmental impact through organisational change.

Toward developing a training pathway for fertility nurses: report of the 2010 training and educational survey.

Fertility nursing and its role extension has increasingly been referred to as 'specialist' or 'advanced nursing practice'. Nevertheless, Government initiatives have prompted a review of 'Advanced Nursing Practice' and the Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC) has taken steps to address the disparity of roles, job titles, training and competence of nurse practitioners, concluding that advanced nursing practice should be subject to revalidation in the same way as professional registration. Fertility nurses form an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. Yet no formal or nationally recognised framework or training pathway exists. In this paper, we present the findings of a recent online survey of training and educational needs of fertility nurses; its aim being to work toward developing a national training pathway. Our findings identify the relationship between fertility nurse competencies, advanced nursing practice and medical sub-specialist training, at the same time, highlighting the difference in accessibility, funding and levels of training, as well as assessment and expertise within clinical practice. We conclude that it is essential to protect role extension through regonised Higher Educational Institution (HEI) accreditation, by appropriate, role-focussed training. Notwithstanding a national review, the diverse list of job titles also needs to be addressed adequately to encompass and respect role extension.

Student bursary shake-up.

The Department of Health launched its consultation on the future of funding for healthcare students. Lyn Karstadt discusses how the consultation should see an end to the long-running disparity between nursing diploma students, who receive non-means-tested bursaries, and nursing degree students, who are means-tested.

Funding nursing education: the Medicare dilemma. Interview by Cheryl Slagle King.

Comprehensive analysis of current Medicare funding for hospital-based diploma programs is multi-factorial, and must incorporate a market of constrained costs, impending Medicare Reform and emerging opportunities for APNs. In addition, consideration must be given to fundamental issues surrounding all aspects of nursing education. APNQ interviews Dr. Carol A. Anderson and Dr. Gail Wolf who make thought-provoking points in arguments covering a spectrum of nursing issues.

Medicare funding of nurse education. The case for policy change.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the magnitude and distribution of US Medicare funding for nursing education and to assess the extent to which Medicare funding contributes to meeting national health care workforce priorities. DATA SOURCES: Medicare Hospital Cost Report Information System, American Hospital Association Annual Survey of Hospitals, and National League for Nursing national surveys of schools of nursing. DATA ANALYSIS: Using hospital identifiers, data from three data sets were merged and analyzed to estimate percentage distributions of Medicare funding according to types of educational programs, hospital characteristics, and student enrollment. RESULTS: Fifteen percent of direct Medicare graduate medical education funding goes to hospitals for the training of nurses and paramedical personnel. Totaling approximately $174 million in 1991, 71% of these funds went to hospitals for nursing education costs. Most of the nation's teaching hospitals (289 of 381 Council of Teaching Hospitals member hospitals) and nurse education programs (1112 of 1484) do not qualify under existing policies for Medicare nursing education reimbursement. Sixty-six percent of Medicare nurse training funds, totaling $114 million in 1991, went to 145 hospitals operating diploma nursing programs; these programs produce less than 10% of nurse graduates. Three states (Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Ohio) received nearly one half (48%) of the $114 million for diploma nursing education. CONCLUSIONS: Medicare is the largest single source of federal support for nursing education. Yet, the majority of Medicare nursing education funding goes to hospitals affiliated with an increasingly smaller, idiosyncratic subset of nurse training programs. Unlike graduate medical education, Medicare supports primarily preprofessional education in nursing. Graduate education, including the preparation of nurse practitioners, does not generally qualify for reimbursement. Medicare reimbursement for nursing education must be retargeted.

Education. Nursing by degrees.

It is quite clear in PREP that community nurses will still be able to practice, whether their current qualification was at certificate or diploma level. However, future community nurse courses will be at degree level and many nurses who are currently practising are concerned that they too should have a degree. Sarah Forester provides brief guidance for community nurses who are considering further academic study.

Is a baccalaureate in nursing worth it?

This study investigated economic costs and benefits of generic BSN and BS degrees from students' points of view. Economic benefits from the baccalaureate degree exceeded benefits from an RN-credential only, after a lifetime of employment. The net present value of a BSN degree discounted at 5% was four times greater than the net present value of a BSRN/diploma and three times greater than a BSN/associate degree.

Nursing student loan program--PHS. Final regulation.

This rule amends existing regulations governing the Nursing Student Loan (NSL) program to require schools to: (1) Invest their NSL funds and return earnings from the investments to the NSL funds; (2) identify and return to the Department excess cash from the NSL funds; and (3) determine the collectibility of defaulted loans and, for loans determined to be uncollectible, either obtain approval to write off the loans or reimburse the fund for the amount that remains uncollected on the loans. However, schools are not required to obtain write-off approval or reimburse the fund for loans that became uncollectible prior to January 1, 1983. The Department expects that these revisions will enhance its enforcement capabilities for improving the cash management practices of schools participating in the NSL program.