'I had to sleep in my car to afford my nursing training"

Nurse union warns of hardship and 'collapse' in applications

- REBECCA THOMAS

Student nurses are being forced to sleep in their cars and go to food banks due to a lack of financial support, the government has been told.

Financial hardship is forcing nurses into “devastating” situations while studying and as graduates, as they also struggle to get jobs after university, according to the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).

The nurses’ union said the situation was “disgusting” and has written to health secretary Wes Streeting and education secretary Bridget Phillipson, calling for better financial support for student nurses.

RCN general secretary and chief executive Professor Nicola Ranger said: “Your nurse education should be about fulfilling your potential, but instead many of our students are saddled with debt, whilst poor financial support drives them into poverty.

“To make matters worse, more and more say they are unable to secure a job when they qualify and at a time when there are widespread vacancies. It’s disgusting and a tragedy for patients.”

One nurse in the West Midlands, Jess Dodds, 29, revealed she was homeless during her first year of university and had to sleep in her car for a week just to attend classes.

She told