More than 32,000 student nurses could drop out of their courses in the next few years because of financial pressures, struggling services and worsening pay prospects, a leading health union is warning.The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said its study showed that without action to make the career more attractive, the Government’s plans to reform the NHS would be undermined.Student nurses in England have been dropping out since the nursing bursary was scrapped in 2016, but tens of thousands could leave before graduating by 2029, said the RCN.An RCN survey of nursing students in England from earlier this year showed that seven in 10 are considering quitting due to financial pressures.Addressing the debt burden and easing cost-of-living pressures is the best way to reduce the dropout rate, alongside increasing nursing pay to make the career more attractive, the RCN said, adding that in the health service in England, there are 31,774 nursing posts currently vacant.
