As a first-year nursing student preparing to go on my first clinical placement, I believe the Green Party’s announcement to introduce paid placements would make a real difference to nursing students. There is a lot of pressure that comes with studying nursing, but one of the biggest challenges is managing the financial demands — especially while completing the 1100 hours of placements required over three years.
Already, a significant amount of my money is going towards transport before I have even paid for rent, groceries and other essentials. Just to get to class, I have to travel approximately 40–50 kilometres each way, so petrol costs quickly add up. A tank costs me around $140 and I can go through at least two a week.
‘This means I could go an entire pay period with little to no income while still having to cover rent, food, petrol and travel.’
I can only work casually around my studies and do not qualify for a student allowance. I live with my partner and rely on my own income to cover my expenses, as my parents are not in a position to financially support me. Although I can access a student loan for living costs, this only goes so far and adds to the debt I will carry after graduating.
Public transport is not a practical alternative for me either, as working a shift after classes would leave me without reliable transport to get there and back.
Placements bring extra pressure
So, one of my biggest concerns about going on placement is the additional financial impact it’s going to have. With shifts running roughly from 7 am to 3:30 pm, it is not realistic to pick up work without working extremely long days. This means I could go an entire pay period with little to no income while still having to cover rent, food, petrol and travel.
‘When our ability to earn money decreases but our expenses remain the same, the financial pressure can become overwhelming.’
At the end of the day, this comes back to the cost of living. The cost of petrol, rent and groceries does not stop just because we are on placement. Students are expected to commit to long hours of clinical learning, yet we still have bills to pay and need to find ways to support ourselves. When our ability to earn money decreases but our expenses remain the same, the financial pressure can become overwhelming.
It is also important to recognise that not every student has a family they can rely on for financial support. As we learn in nursing, it’s important to understand that everyone comes from different circumstances. A family’s income does not necessarily reflect how much financial support a student actually receives. Some students are entirely responsible for supporting themselves, and not everyone qualifies for financial assistance. Financial circumstances should not determine whether someone can afford to complete their nursing degree.
This is not just my experience. A 2025 NZNO nursing student survey found that more than half those surveyed had seriously considered leaving their nursing programme because of financial pressure. Nearly two-thirds frequently struggled to afford essentials such as rent, food and transport. These figures highlight how financial difficulties can affect students’ ability to continue their studies. We need to support students to complete their degrees and enter the nursing workforce, rather than risk losing future nurses because they cannot afford to keep studying.
Paid placements ‘add pressure’
I believe paid placements could help ease some of this pressure and allow students to focus on developing their skills and providing safe, quality care instead of worrying about how they will afford to live until their next pay. Nursing placements are essential to becoming a registered nurse, and students deserve to be able to complete this compulsory learning without facing unnecessary financial hardship.
For me, paid placements are about more than earning an income. They are about making nursing more accessible and recognising the commitment students make to their future careers. With the cost of living continuing to put pressure on people, we should be helping students succeed, not making it harder for them to qualify. We need nurses entering the workforce, and supporting nursing students financially is one way to help make that happen.