– It is extremely important. The expenses are high and the student loan is low, says Nicole Landwehr about the NOK 50 million the government has distributed to 17 universities and colleges. The money will cover travel and housing expenses for students who have an internship far away from their place of study. With two residences and one internship, Landwehr commutes a lot during a school year. Although she received support from NTNU, she estimates that the driving cost her over NOK 3,000 a month. – There are far too few internships nearby, so we have to get out to be able to try our hand at those jobs. But it takes a lot of time and a lot of money, she says. Known “bottleneck” In 2022, more study places in nursing have been created. In order for the students to enter the working world, it is absolutely essential that there are also enough internships. Access to internships is one of the biggest bottlenecks to getting more health personnel trained. Now the educational institutions receive support to make it easier for students to have an internship far from the place of study. The study centers themselves have reported what the need is. Marit Knutsdatter Strand (Sp) believes that many more nurses are needed throughout Norway. The grant of NOK 50 million came in the revised national budget in 2022. NTNU, UiT – Norway’s Arctic University, the Norwegian University of Applied Sciences and VID University of Applied Sciences in Oslo are among those who receive the most. The Norwegian Nurses’ Association welcomes the grant The Norwegian Nurses’ Association believes that the money from the government is an important move to improve both quality and capacity in the municipalities. Leader Lill Sverresdatter Larsen says many nursing students drop out midway through their course of study because of finances. – With long distances, you must have a dormitory both at the place of study and where you will do your internship. In addition, you have to travel, perhaps by plane. Sverresdatter Larsen points out that financial considerations have a lot to say for the students, as about half of the education consists of practical work. She believes it can have major effects – The effect is that we can get more students who complete their studies and actually become nurses. And then I think it will be easier to recruit in the municipalities, she says. ENGAGE THE STUDENTS: The nursing students at NTNU Gjøvik support Landwehr and say she speaks on behalf of everyone. – There is a bit of frustration, and we have talked a lot about it. This is money that is important to us. You want to have some fun and not just work and study, says Landwehr. Photo: Roar Berntsen / news – Enormous social need The Norwegian University of Applied Sciences is one of the educational institutions that receives funding. Head of department Ole Petter Hjelle calls it an important contribution to the “bottleneck” in today’s nursing education. – There is a huge societal need for more nurses. We are short of 6,500-7,000 nurses in Norway today. And the downside is the number of internships we have. The more internships we get, and schemes that support it, the more nurses we can train, he says. THINK IT WILL IMPROVE THE ECONOMY: – If we had more internships, we could train more nurses – which would also have been positive for our economy, says Hjelle. Photo: Hege Therese Holtung / news Hjelle says today they have to limit the number of nursing students, because there are not enough internships. Although the funds allocated will go to the students, he believes it will also improve the finances of the college. – Because we get money for every student who goes through the course of study. Live out the dream This summer, the Ministry of Knowledge said that they will not change the study support for the nursing students, but rather help those who have to be away for a long time during the internship period. When Nicole finishes her education, she will have about half a million kroner in student loans. Costs for travel and accommodation are the largest expenditure items, even though she and other students receive support for the very longest journeys. Landwehr is from Germany. She is happy that she has had the opportunity to study nursing after she became an adult. – I have actually wanted to become a nurse since I was 12 years old. She says that students over 30 get somewhat more student loans than younger students. On the other hand, the older students have more expenses. Students over 30 miss out on student discounts. For Landwehr, it is also about family obligations. Every second weekend she travels home to Hallingdal. Then she works in the health service in the municipality. And spends time with family. – My choice, says the student and laughs. Hello! Thanks for reading! If you have any feedback or input on this topic, feel free to write to me. I also welcome suggestions for other things I should look into!
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50 million has been distributed to 17 universities and colleges to support nurses in practice – news Innlandet – Local news, TV and radio
