Times are unpredictable in the recent outbreak of coronavirus globally. As 3rd year student midwives and nurses the Nursing and Midwifery Council is stating our time in clinical placement should proceed as scheduled unlike fellow medical students who have been removed from clinical placements. As students we are not paid for any of the time we spend in clinical placement instead we pay £9250 yearly to work ourselves into the ground. Over the last 3 years we have received minimal holidays, a lack of emotional support and no financial support, amongst the expectations of meeting academic deadlines and working clinically. The previous cohort of 2016-2019 were the last to receive university education for free. And students who are commencing our courses in September 2020 will be given £5000 per academic year. Where does that leave us? 

We are not actually qualified to be deemed as the NHS solution to support the system in this time, it is unethical. We are expected to continue going into hospitals, GP settings and people's homes putting our lives at risk and those who we live with to receive nothing in return. It is taking the liberty and our studies should be put on hold just like medical students who are being taken out of clinical placement.

NHS staff aren't being tested for coronavirus but what about their healthcare needs as individuals and what about ours as students - we don't have any basic rights or protective measures as employees do; no sick leave or pay, no understanding or consideration. What about those of us that live with vulnerable individuals susceptible to catching coronavirus? What about those of us with pre-existing health conditions at increased risk of this virus? What about those of us with young children and families? - These are the questions which are being neglected and need answering by The NMC, especially given recent government advice on isolation, the NMC Code value of prioritising people and preserving safety is omitted when it comes to it's own staff and students!

This is particularly worrying for myself as someone who falls into the "at risk" category and living in the same household as others with additional risk. Can I really afford to risk my own life and those who I live with because the NMC isn't considering the backgrounds and lives we come from. Can I risk causing someone else's life to be lost as a student being told to be in clinical placement "as normal"? This thought causes major anxiety and fear as we could be the cause of health suffering and at worst deaths because we are exposed to patients and members of the public taking and spreading it wherever we go. It isn't a risk to be taken in trusts with known cases of coronavirus.

All cohort programmes should be put on hold for both clinical placements and academic teaching until further notice as students, even if it delays completion of courses by a couple months we need to consider our own health and safety. The risk (and cost) of catching coronavirus and spreading it amongst colleagues, patients and family/ friends is far too great to take when we could simply act with precaution to prevent this situation worsening.

We deserve this time off and compensation for our continued commitment over the last 3 years, having been overworked and exploited for our caring nature. The rush to make us qualified is only going to delay us wanting to enter the workforce or result in us deferring qualification if we aren't given leave from clinical placement in this time. If we are deemed to be competent enough to support the country in a global and national crisis we deserve compensation. We have been exploited and silenced over 3 years of working for no money or support but in a time like this where our own lives are at risk - enough is enough!