Sir, – Peter Pallas (May 10th) needs to be made aware that nursing students these days study for four years to attain a university award of BSc.
As any other third-level student, they must pay college fees and receive no payment until their fourth-year internship.
They are no longer “trained” as per the old apprenticeship system of RGN (registered general nurse) training.
Therefore, if these newly qualified young people choose to go abroad, for better pay and conditions, with better postgrad options, who can blame them? The same applies to graduates in any other disciplines.
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If we want to retain these nursing graduates, the Irish health service needs to up its game to entice them to stay. – Yours, etc,
BREDA SHANKEY,
Skerries,
Co Dublin.
Sir, – I could not agree more with Peter Pallas regarding forcing our graduate nurses to continue to reside in this country for a minimum of three years after graduation in gratitude for their training and paltry pay. I do think, however, that he has not not gone far enough with our educated young people. I’d further stipulate that all graduate doctors, teachers, plumbers and craftsmen of every ilk be corralled in this country and forced into penury while they struggle to find and pay for accommodation during their working detention. To facilitate their incarceration while repaying their enormous debt to society for being born, I’d build a Trumpian wall around the island and force them to work in the intolerable conditions prevalent in our hospitals, schools etc, until they have bloody well earned the right to leave like their forefathers. Now that would soon learn them not to be getting above themselves with their auld education! – Yours, etc,
TOM FINN,
Balinasloe,
Co Galway.