After a recent survey in UCD’s School of Nursing and Midwifery, News Editor John O’Connor spoke with multiple students in the school to discuss reports on UCD’s inability to care for the mental health of student nurses.
A recent survey of fifty second-year students at UCD’s School of Nursing and Midwifery indicates widespread concern about wellbeing and support. The findings of the survey, conducted by the University Observer, show that 92% of respondents feel their mental health is not adequately supported by the university, while 88% reported very high levels of stress linked to academic demands and clinical placements, with many saying they do not feel sufficiently supported in managing these pressures by the college.
Student nurses have raised concerns that their training experience in the college and on clinical placement does not match the “friendly and supportive environment” promoted on official university platforms. Instead, students describe an academic and clinical system that leaves them emotionally drained, academically unprepared and largely unsupported as they navigate their introduction to healthcare.
Student nurses in Ireland work up to 35 hours a week on clinical placement. While a recent allowance was introduced, students told The University Observer that it barely covers travel costs. To support themselves, students often take on additional part-time work, creating an exhausting balance between clinical placement and paid part-time employment.
“We’re emotionally and physically drained,” said one student nurse. “Because of cost and lack of support, I know a lot of us have had to drop out this year. It’s no longer feasible to study nursing these days.”
“We’re emotionally and physically drained,” said one student nurse. “Because of cost and lack of support, I know a lot of us have had to drop out this year."
The pressure extends far beyond long hours. Students report being exposed to death and trauma from their very first shifts, often without adequate preparation or follow-up support. One second-year student told The University Observer that at the beginning of her first clinical placement she was expected to handle the body and place the shroud over a recently deceased patient.
“There is no modules to prepare us for this. The biggest clinical skill we learnt before starting our placement was hand hygiene. In UCD you are taught about the body, about biology, how to nurse the patient. I was expected to talk to the family of the deceased patient and in the past I have been asked multiple times how long a certain patient has left. You are expected to know the answer,” the student stated. “You aren’t taught how to come home as a nurse. You’re bringing work and death home with you, and we’re not taught how to deal with that.”
“You aren’t taught how to come home as a nurse. You’re bringing work and death home with you, and we’re not taught how to deal with that.”
It was revealed that 80% of the students who participated in the survey reported being asked to carry out tasks that were not appropriate for their level of training.
“It is the preceptor who mentors and takes charge of the student nurses during placement and they change daily,” another student said. The student continued by claiming that some of these preceptors do not hold the necessary preceptorship qualification to properly mentor and manage the student nurses on shift. “Due to lack of qualification by these preceptors they are not aware of our scope of practice and what level of training we are currently at.”
The primary responsibility of these preceptors is to sign off on student nurses at the end of each shift and complete the relevant sections of the NCAD (National Competence Assessment Document) sheet. No formal report is submitted, nor is there any written account of the day’s events provided by the preceptor to be returned to UCD. As a result, the college lacks insight into the student nurse’s day-to-day activities and is therefore limited in its ability to offer appropriate support. “The college performs no oversight on the goings-on of our clinical placement. They have no idea.” the student said.
Students also reported severe emotional burnout and, in some cases, reconsidering their future in nursing altogether.
“I’ve had to turn to [UCD],” one student said. “I shouldn’t be under so much stress that I have to ask for support without UCD checking. They are leaving students burnt out emotionally before even joining the workforce. It’s slowly chipped away at my self-esteem. There are many people who would be great nurses but aren’t able to continue because of how we are treated. It feels like UCD is actively adding to Ireland’s growing shortage of healthcare professionals due to their lack of mental-health services and care.” In the survey it was reported that 84% of student nurses in the year did not feel comfortable accessing mental health services in UCD.
“They are leaving students burnt out emotionally before even joining the workforce. It’s slowly chipped away at my self-esteem. There are many people who would be great nurses but aren’t able to continue because of how we are treated."
Following the survey, Arham Memon, auditor of UCD’s Nursing and Midwifery Society, released a statement to The University Observer describing the academic and clinical conditions of studying nursing at UCD and how “some students have been involved in care that was traumatic to some degree. From aggressive language to death - you can see a lot. In all honesty no one prepares you for that part. It's the feeling of being thrown into water and it is part of the career, but we must not allow people to numb themselves to it [...] and continue to care - that is why we need mental health supports.”
Memon continued by stating he did want “ to give credit where it’s due, there are incredible people in the school who do offer supports as much as they possibly can and I do recommend to any student who has experienced anything they wish to talk about to avail of these. Still improvement must be made, we know that there is capacity for it. We need to see more mental health supports, access to supports that can handle large numbers of students. Students have to work on top of hundreds of hours of unpaid placement, it can be incredibly tiring. We need easy access to resources, we need more resources.” Despite counseling being offered by UCD, Mr Memon claimed that students need more “easy access” to such services.
“Caring for others should not come at the cost of neglecting those learning to do it.” stated one UCD student.
The University Observer has contacted UCD for comment.