Becoming a nurse is tough enough. Edith Cowan University in Joondalup is making it even more difficult for their current nursing students by charging unfair fees.

In semester 2 2020, a new software called vSim was trialled for free with the then current Stage 3 nursing students as a way of meeting clinical skills practice hours due to the impacts of COVID-19. Contact hours were not able to be met on campus due to lockdowns so the software was used to supplement and simulate the workshop experience. Semester 1 2021 this software was added to the Incidental Fees list, requiring students to purchase vSim for $90 for a 1 year subscription. As a full time student this was a fee I, and other students found difficult to pay. It was also unnecessary as there were no impacts from COVID-19 on the ability for students to meet the required contact hours.  However I paid the fee for the software as completing modules in vSim became a requirement to pass the unit. Before purchasing I clarified if the 1 year subscription could be used in my following stage 4 unit, and I was told it could.

Now ECU has back flipped and is forcing students to re-pay for our valid subscription as the one purchased last semester was for stage 3 exclusively. This is a scam and unfair to ask of University students. Show your support for stopping unfair fees for financially struggling nursing students, sign the petition today.