Should nursing students get compassionate leave from placement?

Nursing students on clinical placement might need to miss shifts if they’re dealing with a personal or family crisis. Yet because they are completing their required preregistration practice learning hours, they have no allowance from the NMC for compassionate leave. Should undergraduates on placement be granted time off on compassionate grounds, even when this means they will fall short of completing the 2,300 preregistration practice hours required by the NMC before they can qualify? Nursing Standard asks its readers’ panel.