Saudi nurses seek higher pay

Nurses in Jeddah have called on the government to increase their salaries to compensate them for their long working hours and health risks attached to the profession.
They also outlined issues facing nurses in the Kingdom, including proper training and career development. They also said that it was becoming more acceptable to become nurses and that there was now advanced training for those wanting to enter the profession.
They urged the government to look more closely at how to ensure greater Saudization at private and public hospitals.
Mona Al-Shihri, a nurse, said the negative perception among Saudis toward the profession has changed, and this has led to an increased demand for Saudi female nurses.
She said there has been a notable increase in the number of women enrolled at colleges of nursing. She said students could now get degrees in nursing rather than only diplomas.
Salma Al-Rashidi said the medical profession has evolved to such an extent that nurses now require advanced technical training.
Regarding career opportunities for graduates, nurses Yasmine, Abeer, Lujain, Nargis and Fatima agree that there are more nursing jobs available than any other profession. Saudis currently make up only 20 percent of nurses in the Kingdom.
They said nurses are needed for various specializations including heart, kidney, intensive care, cardiac surgery and oncology. Nurses also have a prominent role in training, teaching, health education, scientific research and clinical studies.
Moreover, nursing requires precision, focus, patience and the ability to handle different personalities.
They complained that the nursing profession requires long working hours and irregular day and night shifts. They also often have to work overtime and on public holidays. This sometimes means working 24 hours a day, seven days a week because the job requires follow-up, assistance, treatment and coordination of health services.
They said their salaries are low compared to other professions that require the same level of education.
The Saudi nurses felt that they are more exposed to infectious diseases and mental disorders. Moreover, the profession requires skills in English, mathematics and the use of computers. These variables should be taken into account when their salaries are assessed, they said.
The nurses complained that medical administrators do not give them the recognition they deserve, which is affecting their performance. There was also a lack of clear career pathways for them and additional training.
They said there was also a lack of integration between training courses and educational institutions. They said there was a lack of leadership, supervisory functions, and specialized education due to the unplanned expansion and opening of private colleges. This was creating a negative perception about the graduates of these institutes.
Some hospitals do have poorly trained nurses because graduates are not prepared properly and trained for the workplace, they added.