Currently across the UK, student doctors have been able to progress to the next academic year/stage in their career without having to complete exams, placement hours and documentation which would have been required to progress further. Student nurses along with other healthcare students (such as physiotherapists, dentists and optometrists etc) have not been treated as equals and are instead, still engaging in attending placement along with focusing on assignments and exams all in the midst of a global pandemic which was deemed "no longer viable for student doctors to be in either university or clinical settings" but somehow "placement as usual" for the rest of us. 

It should be noted how quickly the GMC have responded to medical student concerns but as a student nurse, myself along with other student nurses are yet to receive any official information from the RNC/NMC regarding the safety of attending placement and how they will deal with outstanding placement hours and our exams and assignments that are still due to be submitted. 

Some universities have already taken precautions and stopped placement for nurses and other healthcare students, where as others have shown poor communication skills; advising students to do different things. In some cases, students have been told that placement hours missed as a result of self isolation will need to be completed eventually or could result in an interruption and continuing their studies in the following academic year. I think it is only fair that we all receive the same treatment that student doctors have, we should be able to  withdraw from placement without having to make up the missed hours at the very least.

I am urging people to please stand with us and sign this petition to gain some attention around this issue, we are your future healthcare professionals and to be treated the way we have during this difficult time has been challenging. It's disheartening to hear fellow students voice the physical, emotional and mental struggles they have faced through this pandemic. Please help take care of the people who will be taking care of you some day.