– We need all the nurses we can get. That’s what health policy spokesperson for the Center Party Lisa Marie Klungland says. The Center Party proposes to remove the requirements for grade three in maths and Norwegian, in the hope of filling up empty study places and training more nurses. – Many young people have interests that trump school effort in their late teens. It can go beyond the grades, but does not prevent you from becoming a good nurse, she says and continues: – That is why the absolute grade requirements must go, she says. WANTS TO HAVE THE GRADE REQUIREMENT REMOVED: The Center Party’s health policy spokesperson believes this year should be the last time the grade requirement applies to Norwegian students. Photo: Marius André Jenssen Stenberg Last year, 21 out of 36 study programs for nurses were unable to fill up the study places they offered, according to Khrono. In some of the study programs there were more than 60 per cent vacant study places. This applies, among other things, to Nord University and UiT Norway’s Arctic University. This is happening at the same time as there are reports of a shortage of nurses around the country. The battle for nurses has been so great that in some district hospitals temporary nurses can earn up to NOK 100,000 in a month. According to Nav’s company survey for last year, there was a shortage of more than 4,000 nurses and 700 specialist nurses. Now the Center Party wants to make it easier for students to enter nursing studies. It arouses strong reactions from both the opposition and nursing students. Want to keep grade requirements Nursing students Mari Bråten and Khalat Salim Abdullah want to keep the current grade requirements. Photo: Kristian Skårdalsmo / news Mari Bråten and Khalat Salim Abdullah take nursing training at the Diakonhjemmet in Oslo They are not particularly enthusiastic about the proposal to scrap the grade requirements. – It has something to do with having sufficient professional knowledge of care and patient safety, the students tell news. – If you have a grade requirement when taking the course, then there is a greater likelihood that people will get through, says one of them. – Lowering the character requirements does not contribute to increased professional pride or increased status, says Kari-Anne Jønnes, parliamentary representative for the Conservative Party. Photo: Høyre Høre: – Important to retain status Just before Easter, the government will come up with new proposals for admission requirements for higher education. Then the requirement to pass maths and Norwegian in order to enter the nursing program may be dropped. The requirement was introduced by the Conservative Party six years ago. – I am keen to recruit nurses into a profession they should be proud of. It is important to keep the status and increase that status, says Kari-Anne Jønnes, parliamentary representative for the Conservative Party to news. She believes that the character requirements they introduced have increased the status of the nursing profession. – Lowering the grade requirements does not contribute to increased professional pride or increased status, says Jønnes, who is also a member of the education and research committee at the Storting. – The grade requirements must go away – We need all the nurses we can get, says health policy spokesperson for the Center Party Lisa Marie Klungland. Photo: Kristian Skårdalsmo / news Today, a minimum grade of three in mathematics is required to enter the nursing course, even if there are study places available. The deadline for applying for higher education is 15 April. The centre-party’s health policy spokesperson believes this year should be the last time the grade requirement applies. – On the nursing course, there is a requirement for 100 per cent right to medication training. Then it does not make sense that we should demand that a student who got a bad grade in mathematics at upper secondary school should spend time and money on retaking mathematics. She says that you have to take in students who are motivated and rather give them the training they need through nursing studies.
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Will make it easier to become a nurse – does not receive support from students – news Norway – Overview of news from different parts of the country
