[Margaret Pilkington]

I think it means that they must be educated to a degree level, not necessarily to actually have a degree, but to have that level of education.

I think that it is a backward step. Nursing is a practical skill.....needs a hands on approach.
I am glad I did my nursing when I did, because with these restrictions I would never have got a chance.
I loved the job because it was never the same two days running.
I loved dealing with patients, and doing my best for them.
I think that people who have a degree level of education willp robably choose careers that are more lucrative and with a better career structure, and I can see that the basic tasks (toileting, btm washing, showering, feeding patients) will be delegated to the care assistant, HCA, auxiliary....and that isn't good. You get to know the most about your patients by being involved in every aspect of their care.....which includes the mundane(although I didn't find these tasks so)tasks.

If a person wishes to do the technical stuff, and they are educated to degree level, let them become doctors.
Nursing care(care, being the operative word here) has not improved by making the nurse better educated.....the giving of care is intuitive, and common sense based.