Children’s nurses on a London hospital ward have increased their study time without increasing the need for agency staff. Steve Andrews describes how it was done

The ‘modem nurse’ is expected to provide clinical care of a high standard while signing up to the commitment of life-long learning. Nurse training and education does not end on qualification but continues within an environment of increased personal pressures and clinical commitments. Completing that degree, attending mandatory study days and undertaking skills-based training are all sensible educational commitments. The reality is somewhat different. Staff under pressure value time off, and life-long commitment to learning seems less attractive when precious days away from work need to be sacrificed to achieve it. Nurses need more educational time, and yet short staffed wards need nurses on the clinical frontline – something has to give. If wards deny staff study opportunities, waiting until they are better staffed or better resourced before engaging in the difficult issue of education, then great opportunities will be missed and future developments compromised.