The Department of Health announced on Tuesday, that under a new regulation which aims at improving the quality of patient care in hospitals across UK, all new nurses now have to obtain a degree within 4 years, making nursing a degree only profession, as opposed to its earlier status of a diploma profession.

Out of the 315,000 NHS nurses currently, only a little over a quarter possess degrees. Under the new requirement, nursing students will have to undertake a 3-4 years degree course, and not the
2-3 years diploma course that is presently undertaken.

"Degree-level education will provide new nurses with the decision-making skills they need to make high-level judgments", said Health Minister Ann Keen. Chief Nursing Officer Christine Beasley, putting any rests that might be looming about more education making nurses "unwilling to perform basic tasks like emptying bedpans", said that nurses will still take care of the full range of tasks assigned to them, and with better training.

The news is being viewed as a positive development and a step further in ensuring that patients in hospitals are given better care and service. Some people, however, have raised a concern that this might restrict nursing as a profession.