Balita . . .

migration of nurses and other health professionals may have on healthcare quality in countries seriously depleted of their nursing workforce.

The proposed solutions

THE WHO recommends that countries need to invest in massive acceleration of nursing education, create at least 6 million new nursing jobs by 2030 and strengthen nurse leadership.

Investments in education, in all health science courses, are long-term solutions in forms of scholarships and subsidy for public and private institutions offering these health courses. Scholarships in graduate studies are needed to supply the scarce qualified instructors and educators in various areas of health sciences.

The government needs to create and fill up plantilla positions for various nursing positions cognizant of the nurse-patient ratio, which is scientifically based on the acuity of care. The Nurse Deployment Program should be shifted to a more sustainable investment in health human resource that provides for security of tenure and positive practice environment.

There may be a need to have a National Chief Nurse position in the Department of Health. Government may need to subsidize the private hospitals, specifically in their human resource development, to cushion the increasing cost of health care.

In the short-term, there are solutions to increase the supply of healthcare professionals, specific to nursing, which may also provide for models in other health care disciplines. It includes the strengthening of the Expanded Tertiary Education Equivalency and Accreditation in nursing. Scholarships and subsidies should be provided for the drop-outs in nursing schools due to financial reasons. The Nurses Licensure Examination Competency Enrichment Programs may be institutionalized by the Centers of Excellence and Centers of Development among nursing colleges and universities, as an extension service to nursing graduates. There is a need to create a Bridging Program for those RNS who have left the practice of nursing and shifted to BPO, airline services, business, etc. We may also engage the repatriated overseas Filipinos who were health care workers abroad.

As Filipino nurses celebrate the 100 foundation years of the Philippines Nurses Association, we need to address the crisis before it is too late.