British Journal of Nursing, 2014, Vol 23, No 15 847 © 2 01 4 M A H ea lth ca re L td T his September sees the first cohorts of student graduates who undertook the BSc (Hons) programme developed on the basis of the Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) Standards published in 2010. Being the first cohort of a new programme is always a challenge as, inevitably, there will be a few glitches as the programme is introduced. However, these students have also commenced their nursing careers at a time when healthcare organisations have undergone significant reorganisation, and health care—and nursing in particular—have faced constant negative media attention. It therefore seems timely to reflect on how nurse education has responded to the criticisms and changes in health care over the last 3 years in order to ensure that these students are fit for purpose and practice. Critics of the move to an all-degree profession felt that nurses would be ‘too posh to wash’. However, this argument cannot be substantiated given that the students are only just about to qualify and there is no evidence as yet that having a degree means a nurse is less willing to participate in care. All the students are assessed in practice by qualified mentors on their ability to deliver patient care in a compassionate and professional manner. This is core to all elements within a practiceassessment document. Skills and simulations are now an integral part of the curriculum, offering students an opportunity to rehearse the fundamental skills of nursing in a safe environment prior to practising them in the real world; failure to demonstrate the required skills will affect their ability to progress. Service user involvement has become an essential part of the nursing curricula. Local education and training boards that commission nurse education programmes require universities to demonstrate how service users are involved in their programmes at all levels. Role players and service users are increasingly being involved in simulations as well as recruitment processes. For example, at my university, service users with a learning disability, who are members of the Baked Bean Theatre Company, are an important part of our simulations and teaching and Karen Elcock