The government initiative will make placements more affordable for students like Sophie, who faced $5,000 in costs for a nine-week placement.
abc.net.au/news/regional-hospitals-set-to-benefit-from-free-nursing-courses/101381724Regional hospitals are expected to benefit from a Victorian government announcement to provide free university and specialist training for thousands of nurses and midwives.The $270 million initiative hopes to reduce the financial burden on students and boost the workforceMore than 10,000 nursing and midwifery students in Victoria will not have to pay any HECS under a new plan by the state government.
"This money can go towards their HECS and make courses more affordable or it can also help out in relation to travel costs and accommodation … in order to do their clinical placements," state secretary Lisa Fitzpatrick said.Ms Fitzpatrick said university data showed about a quarter of people who dropped out of healthcare courses did so because of the high costs associated with things like mandatory placements.
Ms Wegener was lucky enough to find accommodation through family but said the expenses added up quickly."Parking at the hospital set me back about $700, plus I had the normal payments of my mortgage, groceries, and the cost of fuel because I travelled home to Wodonga pretty much every weekend."Ms Wegener was also unable to undertake paid work for the duration of the placement.
"To do those clinical placements and be exposed to regional Victoria and see the wonderful health services and the wonderful opportunities … that you get working in a regional hospital, this is going to make it more affordable for [metropolitan students] as well," she said.
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