But this year has been stressful for many final year students, particularly in England, who are struggling to secure permanent jobs as registered nurses after they graduate.

Nursing students are the future of the profession and are critical to the future of our health and care services and patient safety. Limitations on jobs available for newly registered nurses are a result of underfunding and poor workforce planning, not a reflection of the profession’s value or need.

Nursing needs strong workforce planning

Government cuts, long-term underfunding of the NHS and changes across NHS system organisations in England means NHS budgets are tight, many employers are freezing recruitment and even making redundancies. Both new and experienced nurses are feeling the impact of these cuts.

Newly registered nurses (NRNs) should not be struggling to find entry level nursing roles in the NHS.

To create a strong nursing profession and protect patient safety, these essential new nurses should be supported into the profession, giving their careers a strong start.

The RCN continues to campaign for accountability for nursing workforce planning and supply in law – without enough nurses to deliver safe care, patient safety is at risk. We want governments to be accountable for ensuring there are the right number of staff, in the right place to meet the health needs of the population.

We are engaging with decision makers

We are speaking with the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and student leaders have met with Duncan Burton, Chief Nursing Officer, on this issue. So far, NHS England have told us:

• They want to make it easier to find and apply for roles. The East of England have an innovative app which has tips on job applications plus a list of local vacancies - this is making it easier for local students to apply. They are looking to roll this app out into other areas.
• Entry level roles must be attainable. Entry level registered nurse roles at band 5 should not have essential requirements that an NRN can’t possibly meet such as specialist qualifications and experience. NHS trusts have been warned not to advertise roles including elements that an NRN wouldn't have. If you find registered nurse roles which are advertised as band 5 with unattainable criteria, please email us NRNjobs@rcn.org.uk.
• Career progression is key. NHS England have also informed us that they believe it is important to focus on nursing career progression so that there is space for newly registered nurses.

We’ve written formally to all Trust Chief Nurses, NHS England and the Chief Nursing Officer, Duncan Burton raising these issues and will continue to push for commitment and change. These issues were also raised at the NHS England board meeting in July.

We are challenging organisations who are advertising NRN jobs with inappropriate requirements. Roles which require experience as a registered nurse, specialist knowledge or additional qualifications are not at a band 5 level. If these requirements are required for the delivery of safe and effective care the role should be at least a band 6.

Earlier this year new NHS nursing profiles were published. In England, it’s expected that employers will follow the NHS Staff Council guidance and review of nursing and midwifery job descriptions, prioritising band 5.

Thanks to our campaigning, the new profiles more accurately reflect modern nursing.

How to find the best opportunity for you

There are some important practical steps that can support your employment search:

• Be an early applicant. When job opportunities are limited, some vacancies may close early. Don’t miss out and apply early.
• Use the right CV for the right job. Make sure your CV and supporting statements are right for the job you are applying to. You can find guidance from the RCN Career Service
• Set alerts. Make sure you are looking on all relevant job sites, so you don’t miss out. Look on NHS Jobs as well as local trust websites and recruitment pages. Set up alerts so you see jobs as soon as they are listed.
• Could you move for the right job? While it will not be an option for everyone, being open to relocating, even on a short-term basis, may increase your chances of securing the best job opportunity.
• Get help. Your university careers team is there to support you. Our RCN career coaching services as well as the NHS career planning tool can support you in your job search.
• If you are working in a support role while you find the right nursing post, be aware:
  • Make sure your duties remain within the scope of that role.
  • Don’t carry out tasks of a registered nurse. Your employer’s indemnity insurance will only cover the role you’re employed in.
  • Remember the NMC Code of Conduct still applies if you’re on the register, even if you’re not working as a registered nurse.
  • Check with your employer beforehand, as different Trusts and Boards may have different policies about registrants in nursing support roles.
  • Note that hours worked in such roles won’t count towards NMC revalidation practice hours.

We want to amplify your voice

While engagement with the UK government and leaders at NHS England has seen some positive steps to acknowledge these issues and set out plans to address them, there has not been clear commitments to address the NHS workforce crisis as a whole. We await the long term workforce plan due to be published in Autumn and the CNO’s Nursing strategy to see how this may be addressed.

We continue to call on the UK government for job guarantees for NRNs, student loan forgiveness for working in the NHS and preceptorship positions so newly registered nurses can progress in their careers.

Campaign for change with us

1. If you’re based in England, write to your MP to raise awareness of the issues final year nursing students and NRNs are having: 
2. If you’re a final year student or NRN in England or Northern Ireland, write to your local Trust leader
3. Wherever you are in the UK, sign our petition calling on governments to commit to review the financial support available for nursing students.

For more information on speaking to politicians and decision makers, check out our guidance.

We want to hear from you

Tell us your experiences of looking for a permanent nursing role as a final year student or newly registered nurse. You can also share any job adverts with us that are advertised as a Band 5, entry level role for a newly registered nurse, but ask for experience that a newly registered nurse won’t have access to, please email us NRNjobs@rcn.org.uk

Find out more and get support on our 'get involved as a student' webpage.