Student nurses work over 700 hrs a year in unpaid placements, most in frontline hospitals. They should be 'supernumerary' and not counted as staff required for safe and effective care, however in practice they often do vital care work which would otherwise have been done by paid ward staff. The course fees are the same as any other degree despite student nurses providing a service during their training.

Student nurses should be encouraged to train post COVID and not be expected to work 000's of hrs unpaid, yet qualify with a debt of £27,250 in course fees for the privilege.