Charles Darwin University forced to cap new nursing enrolments amid backlog of clinical training
Nursing students have been waiting months to complete their clinical training amid huge pressure on the health system. Here’s the drastic steps being taken to clear the backlog.
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The Territory will train about 800 fewer nursing students next year amid a backlog of clinical placements and extreme pressure on the system.
Charles Darwin University has been forced to cap its new nursing enrolments to 100 students next year.
On a normal year, the university takes in about 900 new Bachelor of Nursing students.
New enrolments are also being restricted to those who already reside in the NT.
It comes as the Territory’s only university revealed about 170 current students were currently behind on their studies as they waited to undertake mandatory clinical placements.
CDU vice-chancellor Professor Scott Bowman said the decision to cap enrolment numbers, handed down by the Australian Nursing and Midwifery Accreditation Council, was made due to ongoing impacts of the pandemic.
“Hospitals have implemented strict limits on students undertaking clinical practice that has impacted students accessing placements,” Professor Bowman said.
“We understand that this delay in accessing placements is frustrating for many students who are keen to get out into the workforce as soon as possible.
“That’s why our focus is on moving our current students through their studies to ensure they can graduate and on our commencing students in the NT in 2023.”
Professor Bowman said the university was restricting new enrolments to NT residents to “support the needs of the NT workforce.”
“This initiative will encourage Territory students to consider a career in nursing, whether it be those located in Darwin, Alice Springs or in remote parts of the NT,” he said.
“It’s critical that we graduate nursing and midwifery students in remote locations of the Territory to support and retain local people.”
Australian Nursing and Midwifery Federation NT branch secretary Cath Hatcher said while she supported the focus on Territorian students, reduced enrolments would impact a system already under strain.
“We’re about 130 full-time-equivalent staff short in the Top End, and across the whole Territory, it’s more like 300 to 350,” Ms Hatcher said.
“Retaining staff is always a problem over the wet season but this year it’s even worse.
“Our nurses and midwives have realised how understaffed it has been over the last two years.
“They’re flogged every day – they’re fatigued.”
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles said the placement backlog was being worked through.
“We needed to make sure our patients were safe and mitigation of the Covid virus was undertaken (over the past few years),” Ms Fyles said.
“To further support staff and relieve pressure for our hard working nurses, we are also utilising contracting agencies, implementing a new model of staffing and further expanding our nursing graduate program.”
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