As population grows unbridled, many sectors including health often face dearth of professionals especially well-qualified and experienced nurses although it is the most respected profession in healthcare globally.
Not only in Pakistan but globally, many countries always remain in need of qualified nurses that also provides opportunities to professionals in developing countries to proceed abroad and earn respectable living.
Pakistan is also not an exception where ever growing demand of professional nurses, who play a critical role in patients care, disease prevention and healthcare, is seldom met. Since, we also failed to produce well-qualified, we also miss our due share in global nursing market.
“The demand for qualified nurses is ascending globally due to factors like population growth, increased chronic diseases and rapid expansion of healthcare services,” said Farid Khan, a male nurse in Peshawar. “Spread of various diseases including recent COVID-19 pandemic has further enhanced the demand of nursing professionals.”
In many countries including developed and progressing nations, there is a significant shortage of nursing professionals due to increased healthcare demands, heavy workloads, migration of healthcare professionals, pandemics, natural disasters and increasing population.
“I do not see any chance that demands for nurses would decrease as governments have always prioritized development of healthcare delivery systems aiming the welfare and assistance of people,” he remarked. “Therefore, boys and girls are seen taking admissions in Bachelor of Nursing course to seek employment opportunities in the country and abroad.”
He said Pakistani doctors have grabbed a reasonable share of in international job market but in nursing sector “we miss lot of opportunities due to less qualification and falling short of international criteria for hiring nurses.” “Still there is demand in gulf and European countries and we can grab these slot by improving our standard of teaching and training,” Fairds Khan said.
As quality education and training of nurses remains a challenge for us since decades, our institutions must need to revisit their syllabus and modes of training to win due share in global market. Recently, Khyber Medical University has entered into an agreement with SAME RSP, UK to train nurses. The agreement is aims at imparting advanced training to KP nurses through esteemed medical schools in the UK.
“Through this initiative, the KP government would fund training for 503 public sector nurses to enhance nursing care across the region,” said, KMU Spokesman. “Recently, the KMU has also organized nursing leadership and capacity building course in collaboration with SAME RPS UK, and health department.”
According to rough estimates, in Pakistani hospitals, the current nurse-patient ratio is 1:40 while the Pakistan Nursing Council recommends a nurse-patient ratio of 3:10. Deficiency in actual number of nurses is also aggravated by seats remaining vacant due to shortage of skilled nurses that also compels health institutions to compromise on quality of nursing care.
Shortage in nursing strength locally is also due to an urge in professionals to move overseas particularly the Gulf countries for a better living that apprehend that even after producing quality nurses, the shortage would continue to persist. This reality, therefore, demands from the governments and the policy makers to evolve a strategy for not only producing well qualified nurses but also ensuring for them better employment opportunities locally.
The situation is even worst in private sector particularly in small hospitals that hire less trained or self-trained staff on meager salary and poor employment terms and conditions on the pretext of shortage of qualified nurses. Larger private health setups often resort to make shift arrangements by engaging nurses employed in the public hospital for second shift. Such nurses are required to work for up to 16 hours a day affecting quality of patient care.
“The demand of nursing is increasing with every passing day that can only be addressed by adopting multi-faceted approach including policy changes, advance education and improved working conditions,” opined Dr. Liaqat Ali, a medical professional. He suggested that increasing nursing education opportunities, establishment of nursing schools and programs, job security, better wages, providing scholarships and financial aid to encourage young nurses can help improve working of this sector.
“Investing in nursing education and improving working conditions would help ensuring a sustainable and well-equipped nursing workforce to meet our demand,” he said. “Nurses are backbone of healthcare systems and we must focus on their training, ensure them due status and job security to improve patient care.” Cognizant of the situation, Director General KP Health Services, Dr. Muhammad Saleem said, the department has introduced some new courses to equip nurses with modern leadership and professional skills.
“This would help KP nurses to seek opportunities in field of health allied sciences worldwide,” Dr Saleem said. “As doctors and nurses lead from the front by providing much needed assistance to victims of different diseases and calamities.” Appreciating their dedication and hard work during pandemics and disasters, he said, the government is also working to facilitate and incentivize them.
“KP doctors and health professionals have proved their worth in the country and abroad and training we have planned, would further enhance their professional capabilities and leadership skills.”
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