Nurse training: would cutting placement hours be a mistake?

Hundreds of nurse graduates have been told by the Nursing and Midwifery Council that they failed to complete the required 2,300 clinical placement hours during their training, sparking calls to ease this requirement and focus instead on competency for registration. Columnist Jane Bates argues that placement time builds essential skills and confidence and offers a chance to learn from experienced colleagues, and that the more you practise anything the better you get.