Degree of doubt over nurses with diplomas

RIYADH: Some government health care institutions have decided against renewing the contracts of non-Saudi women diploma holders working in hospitals and health centers.
A large number of non-Saudi women, who work as Patient Care Assistants (PCA), are expected to wind up their jobs in Saudi Arabia when their current residency permit expires.
Foreign nurses are mainly from countries such as the Philippines, Malaysia, South Africa, India, Canada, the US and Australia.
The issue is not relevant to hospitals run by the Health Ministry because it does not employ diploma holders for nursing jobs, said Dr. Khalid Al-Mirghalani, ministry spokesman.
“Our male and female nurses, irrespective of the nationalities, do hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing,” he told Arab News.
The ministry gives top priority to Saudi nationals in all jobs, include nursing, Dr. Al-Mirghalani pointed out.
“We consider foreigners only in rare disciplines where the locals are not available,” he added.
Sources, cited by local media, said some hospitals have already announced plans to terminate the services of diploma-holding non-Saudi nurses.
Authorities have asked the officials in their respective personnel departments to inform these women about the decision, said the sources.
It has also urged these officials to take signatures of those non-Saudi women nurses whose contracts are coming to an end to accept the pink slips.