Hiring nursing students
In the coming months, many employers will hire nursing students to cover for permanent staff members who will be away on vacation during the summer. But, what should be considered before students are hired and assigned care tasks?
First, nursing students are just that – students. They are still learning how to safely perform the controlled acts authorized to nursing. This means that, until their education is complete and they are registered members of the College, they cannot be permitted to perform any controlled acts.
A summer job is different than a clinical placement that takes place during the school term. The legislation states that, for the purpose of education, students enrolled in a nursing education program have access to controlled acts while being supervised by a member of the profession. Individuals hired for the summer will be acting in an unregulated care provider (UCP) role, not the student role.
In addition, “nurse” and its derivatives can only be used by registered members of the profession. Individuals enrolled in a nursing education program can only use the title “nursing student” during the school year. In their position as a summer hire, refer to nursing students as UCPs or personal support workers (PSWs).
Students have much to gain by working as a UCP. The experience can help them develop confidence and organizational skills for their future careers as regulated health professionals. It can enhance their ability to work collaboratively within a health care team and better their understanding of the health care system as a whole.
For more information, refer to the College’s Supporting Learners and Authorizing Mechanisms practice guidelines at www.cno.org/publications.