Manpower issues in nursing

On the one hand, there is less possibility of a job in the country, on the other hand, nursing education is helpful for those who want to go abroad, so it is natural that the students' attraction towards it will increase. Due to non-availability of sufficient employment opportunities within the country, hard work, low wages and hard work, most of the students' choice seems to be abroad rather than home.

Not only for nursing but also for higher education studies and employment, most of the students choose abroad. An employee of the educational administration branch of Pokhara Nursing Campus, which contributes significantly to the production of quality nursing manpower, says that the number of students coming to get recommendations for foreign forms has doubled compared to the past. There are many people who say that they study nursing because it is easier to go abroad.

Some private campuses and other institutions that offer undergraduate nursing studies and teaching are closed due to lack of students, so the production is less than before. At present, even in some campuses where technical and professional subjects are taught in Tribhuvan University, students are decreasing every year at the graduation level. Even in some government and private colleges, the student enrollment rate is low in proportion to the number of seats at the MN, BNS and BSc levels.

According to the procedure set by the Medical Education Commission, hostel facilities are not available in campuses after going through the process of matching. Paiha also does not provide enough hostels based on the number of students. Some nursing colleges do not have their own hospital for practical training. Overcrowding of many college students in the same hospital, with more students than patients, hinders experimental practice.

After completing the studies, the student's sole objective is clearly to clear the board exam and start the process of going abroad. 'It is not easy to study this subject without hard work, patience and service-oriented spirit, if nursing manpower goes abroad at this rate, it will not be long before there will be a shortage of quality nursing manpower in the country.' He left his studies in the middle and went abroad. In this way, due to the students going abroad, the government investment has proved to be water in the sand.

The World Health Organization has placed Nepal as a country that lacks sufficient health manpower. According to the ratio of health institution operation standards, currently one nurse in Nepal has to see up to 40 patients. Officials of the Nursing Association say that they have to work in private hospitals for less than the minimum wage set by Nepal's labor law and thus labor exploitation. Even though the government hospital looks better than the private one, the nurses working there say that the salary is low, the environment is unsafe and the work pressure is high.

According to the latest public service statistics, the number of applicants for vacant positions is low and on the other hand, the number of people attending the interview is even less. This shows that the attractiveness of nursing manpower in government jobs has decreased. According to the Nepal Nursing Council, more than 25,000 nurses have gone abroad from Nepal so far through various means. About 6,500 nurses and anami are produced in Nepal every year. If we look at the number of nurses who go abroad in this way, will there be a situation in the near future where we will have to bring nurses from abroad?

In the health policy of the country, it is said that it is necessary to give nursing education to children including general first aid from the basic level. However, in order to strengthen nursing services, why does the state not think about increasing investment in this sector and making health services accessible to common citizens? Thousands of nurses have honored the country by working abroad. It is not unusual to work as a highly skilled workforce, seeking to secure your future. Each person's interests, concerns, needs and preferences may be different. The government should focus on providing quality nursing services in the country. For this, a strategy should be taken to create new positions for the necessary nurse supply in proportion to the number of patients, employ them with proper facilities and maintain them in the country.

The Ministry of Health and Population has mentioned in the national strategic roadmap for manpower that 81 thousand 360 nurses are needed in Nepal by 2030. According to this, in the future, with emphasis on the production of more nursing manpower, consumption in the country with proper facilities is the next need. Otherwise, it will not take long to violate the right of every citizen to receive basic health services from the state as mentioned in the constitution.

– Basnet is an employee of Pokhara Nursing Campus.