Ill-feeling for nursing students

HUNDREDS of foreign nursing students are out of pocket more than $5000 and in limbo after accreditation lapsed for Brisbane's Shafston College and doubts were raised as to whether it would be reinstated.

Shafston Nursing admitted yesterday it would not be offering places for the course, which was due to start next month.

The future for about 400 students, more than 50 of them from India, is uncertain - including some who began the Diploma of Nursing at Shafston last year and now cannot finish it at the college.

The Indian students, who have all paid more than $5000 for their first trimester of study, said they were promised refunds and assistance with finding positions at other nursing schools.

But they said Shafston College had yet to refund their money or help them find alternative study arrangements.

Sandeep Kaur, 21, Harjinder Kaur, 27, and Hashminder Kaur, 21, (no relation) enrolled in Shafston's Diploma of Nursing Course from India last year and arrived in Australia - Hashminder as recently as this week - with no idea of the problems with the program.

Sandeep said most of her fellow aspiring nurses were suffering from depression, migraines and lack of sleep because of the stress.

"We talk to our families in India on the phone and just start to cry in front of them because we are so depressed," she said.

Shafston Nursing College general manager Carol Miller said discussions were continuing with TAFE to find places for all students and hoped the matter would be resolved by this afternoon.

She said that as soon as Shafston Nursing was made aware it had lost its accreditation - in the week before Christmas - all students and stakeholders were notified.

Shafston Nursing College's accreditation lapsed on Monday, two weeks after the Queensland Nursing Council investigated the college over the course.

At its December meeting, the Queensland Nursing College decided Shafston nursing graduates would have restrictions placed onthem and would have to be supervised in their work for six months.

Shafston College has taken the council to the Supreme Court in an attempt to get the restrictions on its graduates lifted.

The council declined to comment on concerns over the course during the court proceedings.

Ms Miller said Shafston was continuing negotiations with the council to secure accreditation for its new course.

The council is not expected to make a decision on Shafston's application for accreditation until next month.

By Sarah Elks

Article from www.australianit.news.com.au