The Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) requires nursing students to complete 2,300 practice hours to join the register, but studies show the supervision and learning gained from clinical placements varies widely, raising questions about whether setting such a large number of hours ensures effective training. Inconsistency in placement selection, supervision and support structures, as well as discrimination, lead to inequities for some students. This article looks at the arguments for valuing competence above hours and standardising placement quality.