Sir, - The impression given by, the media during the past few weeks is that the Government's offer to nurses is signed, sealed and delivered. This is far from being the case. A derisory sum of £35 million has been reluctantly offered but acceptance is subject to final ballot of the country's 26,000 nurses.
A significant omission in the publicity given to the "deal" relates to the nations 260 nurse teachers who have received no, mention. The maximum salary proposed for a principal nurse tutor is £28,500 and for a basic grade tutor £26,000 per annum.
Nurse teachers regard these figures as being ludicrous, insulting and totally unacceptable in view of their professional responsibilities and academic qualifications required.
In recent times, the burden of work has dramatically increased in relation to curriculum development in preparation for moves from hospital based nursing schools to university campuses. Accordingly, nurse teachers at a recent emergency national meeting in Dublin at which all of the country's 45 nursing schools were represented, unanimously proposed that principal tutors should be on salary scales corresponding to senior college lecturer rates and basic grade tutors corresponding with college lecturer rates.
The Government's current offer to nurse teachers is being rejected out of hand and the anger and frustration associated with this offer will be decisively reflected in the national ballot of members in mid April.
Concern was also expressed at this meeting of the likely impact of the Government's current proposed low salary scales on recruitment to the nurse teaching profession. It is believed that highly motivated staff nurses interested in nurse teaching as a career will be deflected from incurring the substantial penalties of three years full time university study for an honours degree - largely incidentally, at their own expense - only to be paid a pittance on qualifying.
It would be important for the public to realise, and especially bright young school leavers contemplating a career in nursing, that the current offer by the Government is a scandal and a sham.
It is also most likely that staff nurses and especially ward sisters on reflecting on this pathetic "deal" will realise that they are being conned and short changed. Therefore, if the nursing profession is to be seen to practice the aspirations of professional credibility and societal worth, they will resolutely reject this offer and insist that they are paid a just salary for a demanding professional service. - Yours, etc.,
M Ed (Hons) RNT Dip N,
Senior Nurse Tutor,
Eastern Health Board, Nurse Education Centre,
St Brendan's Hospital,
Dublin 7.