NorthTec's international nursing student enrolment numbers are rising

Pastoral care co-ordinator for international students Adrian Whale sightseeing with recent CAP graduates in Northland. Photo / Supplied

Nursing placements for international students are increasing in Whangārei to meet the demand for nurses amid a nationwide shortage.

NorthTec Whangārei Competency Assessment Programme (CAP) pastoral care co-ordinator for international students, Adrian Whale, said the CAP intake was expanding at a rate higher than Auckland.

"We don't advertise, there's always a need for our programme and lately this need has gone through the roof," Whale said.

CAP is for international and returning nurses to gain their New Zealand certification.

The recent increase in NorthTec Whangārei's CAP placements since pre-Covid figures have been largely filled by international students.

NorthTec said it was expecting another jump from 23 students in its May intake, to between 25 and 30 students in October.

The placement consists of two weeks of theory and up to six weeks of clinical practice, so intake numbers rely on available trainee placements at local healthcare settings.

"Most of our nurses from the programme go straight into full-time work," Whale said.

Covid-19 caused the cancellation of one international intake in 2020 due to lockdowns and border restrictions.

The nationwide shortage of nurses has been felt across DHBs, rest homes and retirement villages.

In the past few years, Covid-19 and negative publicity around nursing conditions and pay has been blamed for nursing enrolment falling.

Two years' worth of NorthTec grads walk down Water St, Whangārei. Photo / Tania Whyte

In 2019, enrolments for the Bachelor of Nursing programme at NorthTec sat at 284. The following year brought a 6.5 per cent drop to 266 enrolments.

Last year, even fewer people signed up for the study pathway with 249 enrolments – down a further 6.5 per cent.

An NZNO National Nursing Student survey in 2019 found financial difficulties were a major issue for students studying nursing or midwifery.

This week many nursing students graduated in Northland as the polytech held four graduation ceremonies over two days to celebrate two years' worth of degree and diploma graduates.

Due to Covid-19, last year's graduation ceremony was postponed three times. This year NorthTec's 2021 graduates were finally able to flaunt their graduation gowns and caps, alongside their 2022 counterparts.