JEDDAH, 25 April 2004 — The region’s first international nursing conference, which starts here tomorrow, will focus on critical issues facing the profession locally and worldwide.
King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center is hosting the conference titled “Windows into the World of Nursing”.
Among the topics to be discussed by speakers during the three-day event is the global shortage of nurses.
There have been significant changes in the nursing profession in Saudi Arabia, according to Dr. Linda Luna, the chair of the organizing committee, who has been in Saudi Arabia for 15 years.
There is now a focus on nursing education, more resources, and increased awareness among professionals of the importance of nurses, but there is still a need for more public awareness, she said.
“Slowly families are recognizing that nursing is a good, respectable profession, but the nurses need more understanding from their families,” Luna told Arab News.
Among the key issues locally is the Saudization of nursing through better educational, career and salary opportunities. Another issue is accreditation of nurses.
Currently, the only credential required is a nursing degree or diploma, but now there is a committee at the Ministry of Health working toward a licensing process.
The Kingdom will feel the impact of the international shortage of nurses. “Saudi Arabia will be less able to recruit, especially when we hit the peak of the shortage in 10 years,” Luna said.
With less staff to work on the units, overtime becomes necessary, and that affects the quality of a nurse’s work.
Specialty nurses in particular will be hardest to recruit. As a preventive measure, the KFSH in Jeddah has started two post-graduate programs in oncology and critical care, with others to follow.
The KFSH works in partnership with Dar Al-Hekma School of Nursing and the University of Melbourne in Australia.
The nursing program in Dar Al-Hekma, the first in a private non-profit sector, began in 2002, according to Dr. Sawsan Majali, the director of the program.
“We try to present the history of nursing in Islam as a way of attracting students,” Majali said.
“The best caregivers are the locals, because they know the language and culture. We need an awareness campaign to encourage enrollment, a scholarship program and investments in training,” she added.
