Nursing entry requirements raised to improve care

New nurses will be educated to degree level in order to improve the quality of patient care in the UK from 2013 onwards, health minister Ann Keen has announced.

Subject to the changes, the minimum level for pre-registration courses will be increased to degree-level and the training will meet new standards set out by the Nursing and Midwifery Council.

In response to the announcement, Rosie Doy, deputy head of the University of East Anglia School of Nursing and Midwifery, said: "It is about trying to get another tier of academic background to back up the profession.

"Nursing is not just about knowledge; we are very concerned about the right attitude. The skills of providing good care, and that's not just the technical side, are what the patient wants."

Also this week, the Royal College of Nursing warned the current economic downturn could be the greatest threat to nursing and patient care in living memory.

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