Union: Offer contract nurses permanent posting

PETALING JAYA: While the issue of permanent posting for contract medical officers had dominated headlines recently, not much has been said about contract nurses.

Health Minister Khairy Jamaluddin recently acknowledged that Malaysia is facing a shortage of nurses.

Malayan Nurses Union president Nor Hayati Abdul Rashid said that offering contract nurses permanent posting would address this.

She noted the shortage is not unique to Malaysia and is a global problem.

“During Covid-19 we had nurses who were brought in under contract,” she said.

She added that fresh graduates are usually offered one to two years’ contract while there are also nurses who joined the Health Ministry on contract from private practice to serve during the pandemic.

“We really hope that we can settle this problem with contract nurses so that they can get the same benefits.

“If we can resolve this problem not only for the doctors but nurses as well, it will be good. There are a lot of people who will retire. All this vacuum must be filled up,” she added.

Nor Hayati said it usually takes one nurse to care for a patient at the Intensive Care Unit.

“Can you imagine if you have 20 to 25 beds?” she said.

As for normal wards, she said one nurse could care for four to six patients depending on the cases.

“The supply must equal (demand). There must be proper planning,” she said.

Unlike doctors, nurses usually work in shifts, she said.

She said furthering studies can also be challenging due to the limited staffing.

Khairy said during the International Nurses Day celebration recently that the shortage of nurses would be addressed so that the best health services could be provided to the people.

“I will do my best to help nurses, just as what has been done for contract doctors,” he said.