Respect Nursing Profession, Stop Brain Drain

Brinda Nepal

Wealth, skills and knowledge are essential for running any country smoothly. People from different positions and professions utilise these essentials and drive the country ahead. Development of any country is made possible if the people of different professions work honestly and in a result-oriented manner.

Backbone

Nursing is one such profession - the profession of the heart - and also called the backbone of the healthcare system. This profession needs devotion, prayer and dedication. I am a nurse by profession and worrying over the huge number of nurses trying to pursue their future abroad. Somewhere deep, I myself sometimes think of it.

At a time when many Nepalis lack proper healthcare, the brain drain in the nursing profession is emerging as a severe challenge to our country.

The possible reasons I think behind the exodus of nurses are- tiring duty shifts, immense pressure during the duty hours, the partiality faced as seniors and juniors, and especially lack of concern and initiative by the government for the right and good laws for the nurses has led to the present scenario.

According to a study, the main push factors for the nurses to opt for abroad are low salary, lack of job and career opportunity and personal ambition while the main pull factors for aspiring foreign employment are better job and career opportunities.

These clearly show a fine gap which needs to be addressed, else the country would lose essential human resources.

Nepal has not been able to maintain a nurse-patient ratio of 1:6 in general beds as per the guideline of WHO. Currently, there are 72,550 registered nurses in Nepal and around 25,000 are working in foreign lands.

If the scenario persists, Nepal will soon be in crisis for nurses. Moreover, as per the media reports, the government itself has signed the contract to send nurses to the UK and other countries. I wonder- WHY?

It is a matter of pride on the other hand that Nepal has been able to produce quality human resources required for other countries. Even the developed country like UK showed willingness to recruit Nepali nurses.

It is a recognition to the Nepali nursing fraternity that their knowledge and skills are salable in the international job market. This certainly brings cheers to us.

The main reason for brain drain in today’s context is clearly the favorable opportunities present in foreign countries with the same hard work and dedication. The admiration nursing profession receives in foreign land is admirable for they are paid well and respected much.

I think it is time for the nurses as well to persuade the government to recognise the nursing profession and ensure facilities and remuneration accordingly.

We can make a collective voice to the political leadership and government institutions in this regard. Despite the lure of high payment and facilities abroad, I sometimes wonder- is going abroad a solution?

The outflow of skilled human resource like nurse is brain drain to which different sectors should think seriously.

Why Nepal is not able to utilise nurses within the country? I think if the standard hospitals and health facilities are constructed in many parts of the country and handsome salary and incentives provided to the doctors and nurses, they may not opt for going abroad, but commit to serving the people from far-flung areas.

Similarly, the next thing must essential to control the brain drain of nurses and doctors is to make sure that hospitals in districts and rural areas have adequate medical equipment.

We often see in media that women are suffering many health complications and pregnant ones are getting a lot of trouble to have access to the health facilities like in the Karnali Province and others. Comparatively, women living in the city area, including the federal capital, Kathmandu enjoy better services. I wonder if women in remote areas also receive quality and standard medical services!

Retaining Innovative Minds

Moreover, it is also true that nobody willingly wants to be in a foreign land and work hard, leaving dear family members, relatives and friends behind.

Therefore, responsible agencies, mainly the government, have no option but to retain the young energy, blood and innovative minds to prosper the country. For it to happen, reforms in law, policy and procedure can be mulled on time.

At a time when political leaders are saying they would make Nepal 'prosperous', nursing profession, one of the most important pillars of country's health system, it must be paid due respect. The respect to nursing profession also helps reduce gender bias entrenched in Nepali society.

The role of doctors and nurses during the crisis like COVID-19 can not be belittled. If they had ignored their duty, remember, how the health crisis would worsen in Nepal!

(A staff nurse, the author is associated with the ICU unit, OM Hospital)

TRN Online

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