The Auckland University of Technology (AUT) initiative would pay $100 weekly to up to 140 students on placement outside Auckland.
Students would be notified if eligible to apply to the fund running from semester 2. AUT’s annual spend on the fund is expected to be up to $150,000.
It comes as students face a squeeze on their wallets, time and even placement spots in the city.
National student chairperson Bianca Grimmer said it was a step in the right direction but, overall, students faced “a multi-factor problem”.
“There’s heaps of nursing schools so it’s a fight for placements . . . we do have three hospitals, and obviously there’s a range of other health providers but when you’ve got a hundred or so per cohort . . . it’s a lot.”
Grimmer said those that did get placed in Auckland still needed better financial support. “Obviously with Auckland it’s pretty expensive living. That’s one thing we find that even StudyLink doesn’t cover very well — rent, groceries.”
Regardless of where the students were placed it would likely impact on their ability to earn money through part-time work, she said.
Currently on pre-registration placement herself, Grimmer said it was fulfilling work for students — an opportunity to put theory into practice.
“But it can be really tough, you’re just feeling so wasted and so tired because you’re trying to juggle so many different things and still pay for things and live.”
Grimmer said that previously she had sometimes worked 18-hour days, between study demands, placement and part-time work.
A training wage for clinical placement would be awesome, she said, especially in expensive cities like Auckland where StudyLink “doesn’t cut it”.
Waiving parking fees for students on placement would be helpful as well she said. “Even though I know parking is stretched for staff members.”
Last October NZNO held student rallies around the country to launch a petition calling for paid training.
About a third of nursing students drop out — many in the third year when they face a continuous 360 of the 1100 hours demanded of clinical placement.
‘You’re just feeling so wasted and so tired because you’re trying to juggle so many different things and still pay for things and live.’
In a written release, AUT student president Alicia Lemmer said placements outside of Auckland were necessary but could push up accommodation and living costs.
“Many students work while they study and for them, full-time placement commitments also mean a loss of income.”
The grant aimed to ease financial pressures “so all learners can fully engage in their placements”, she said.
- As a clarification the word incentive has been removed from the first paragraph of the original version of this article.