Taoiseach Says Reports of ‘Exploitation and Abuse’ of Nursing Students Should Be Investigated

TAOISEACH MICHEÁL MARTIN has said that the HSE should conduct investigations into whether female nursing students are being “exploited or abused” by asking them to do work outside of their training.

Speaking at Leaders’ Questions in the Dáil when the issue of female nursing students was raised for the second day, Martin said that testimony read by officers, including Mary Lou McDonald TD and Paul Murphy TD, should be forwarded to health authorities.

“I would tell you, deputy, regarding the testimonies that you have presented, and in fact other deputies have done so, to refer them to me and to the HSE, because in some cases they represent an abuse of nursing students, and exploitation of nursing students, ”said the Taoiseach.

Martin went on to say that freshman nursing students are meant to do clinical internships for six weeks at a time, but if they are being assigned for the job, that’s wrong.

“If nurses are signed up for a 13-hour shift or a 10-hour shift, they must be paid. Nursing directors and hospitals are disputing that and that is now being investigated, the Minister of Health is investigating it, ”said the Taoiseach.

“The cases referred to yesterday must be sent and there must be an investigation. Because no freshman should treat a Covid patient, “he added.

Martin said such a situation would represent “abuse” and that “no director of nursing should be enabling it.”

Martin also specifically referred to a testimony raised yesterday at the Dáil by Rise TD Murphy.

The deputy had read an account that he said he received from a student midwife:

I have dressed and positioned babies who have passed away to show their parents for the first time. I have wept with women who have been told that their baby has died while they are alone in hospitals with current restrictions.

The Taoiseach said that this case and others like it should be investigated.

“We heard here yesterday that a nursing student had to comfort a bedside mother with her dead baby. Now if that happened, that requires an investigation, ”he said.

The question of the conditions of nursing students has been in the headlines after the government voted against a motion to pay them for clinical placement during the pandemic.