University, Fnopi: "Without ministerial decrees, nursing exams are at risk."

A delay that risks discouraging enrollment in the next academic year, in a context of a worrying shortage of healthcare professionals known to all institutions.

Admission tests for nursing degree programs will be held across Italy on September 8th, but universities are still awaiting ministerial decrees certifying the number of places assigned to each location. This delay, only partially resolved yesterday with the decree defining the selection process, creates considerable uncertainty for the thousands of young people grappling with one of the most important decisions of their lives. They will have no more than 20 working days to submit their applications, in the middle of August and with many university offices operating at reduced levels. In a statement, the National Federation of Nursing Professions (FNOPI) expressed "serious concern about delays that risk discouraging enrollment in nursing programs next academic year, amid a worrying shortage of healthcare professionals, well-known to all institutions."

Despite the clear employment opportunities after the three-year qualifying program, the degree programs in Nursing and Pediatric Nursing—according to FNOPI—risk being objectively damaged. For the first time, we're almost at the middle of August without any decrees, at a time made even more uncertain by the open semester for Medicine. This uncertainty has led some universities to issue provisional calls for applications, thus being unable to clearly inform aspiring nurses of the number of available places.

The FNOPI, which has strengthened its relationships with relevant ministries and institutional representatives over the years, the statement notes, confirms its willingness to find effective solutions to facilitate those wishing to choose nursing professions: "A systemic and shared approach to the problem is needed, addressing citizens' health needs." The crucial issue of attractiveness has long been clear to the Federation, FNOPI concludes, and its willingness to listen to the needs of the younger generations is demonstrated by the initiatives implemented in this direction, such as the video "NextGen Nurses," presented at the Conference of Italian University Rectors and made available to universities to offer a more dynamic and current perspective on nursing.