70% of new nurses may emigrate

The crisis of nurse recruitment and retention plaguing the health service shows no sign of abating with seven in 10 of the current crop of fourth-year student nurses considering emigrating following graduation.

In addition, the majority of the class of 2018 — 57% — have already been approached by overseas recruitment companies, according to a survey by the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO).

Just 18% have been offered permanent contracts by the HSE, even though the HSE wrote to students in February saying all graduate nurses and midwives would be offered permanent posts as an incentive to remain in the Irish public health service.