National's nursing and midwife policy might need to pivot if it wants to complete what it aims to achieve.

In a bid to grow the workforce, the party's promising to pay nurses and midwives 22 and a half thousand dollars back on their student loans.

But, they'll have to agree to work here for five years.

College of Nurses Executive Director Kate Weston says the policy targets graduates, rather than the loss of experienced nurses.

She says that focus is needed on workplace issues driving nurses away such as unsafe staffing, and they're worried about their patients.

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