JEDDAH, 13 May 2008 — Since 1974, International Nurses Day has been celebrated on May 12 — the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the English nurse considered to be the founder of modern nursing.
Each year the International Council of Nursing, the organization responsible for promoting the event, chooses a theme for the celebration. This year’s theme, “Delivering Quality, Serving Communities: Nurses Leading Primary Health Care,” focuses on the key forces affecting nursing professionals and the primary health care sector globally.
Accepted by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the key to achieving the goal of health for all, primary health care is increasingly becoming a top priority for ensuring that a country’s future health needs are met.
In view of these factors, Saudi Arabia has risen to the challenge. The government currently shoulders 75 percent of health care costs in the country, amounting to SR30 billion annually. The country also boasts one of the most technologically advanced medical sectors in the Middle East and is regionally the largest sector for health care in terms of size, activity and potential.
However, with an aging population in need of specialty medical care and a growing young population expected to increase to 30 million by 2016, the country’s need for more health professionals is evident more than ever. Nonetheless, the nursing profession in Saudi Arabia has not always received raving reviews from society. Social barriers have existed and still exist with a negative outlook having been applied to the career choice.
Taqwa Omer Yahia, dean of administrative affairs at the College of Nursing at the King Saud University for Health Sciences, explained to Arab News how she succeeded in overcoming the social stigma as one of the first Saudis to enter the profession nearly two decades ago.
“In the early years, nursing initially got a negative image because of the need for women to be outside their homes to do their jobs in caring for the ill. Traditionally, there was a lot of pressure put on women to stay home and, therefore, nursing was considered taboo, especially caring for unrelated male patients and not being within the normal realms of society,” she said.
“Within the last decade society started changing views but the road is still tough for students with the dream of becoming a nurse,” she added.
Yahia continued that out of the students enrolling for nursing courses at her college each year, only 50 percent actually make it to graduation. “These students have to be extra motivated and enthusiastic about reaching their goals more than other professions due to the pressures in society as well as from their own families, who are reluctant in allowing them to work even upon graduating,” she said.
“In most countries nursing graduates are frustrated due to the lack of opportunities. However, in Saudi Arabia there are as many as 110,000 openings available with the number growing daily. The career is also financially attractive but the social attitude and ill treatment are the problems that discourage Saudis from entering the profession,” she added.
“As a Saudi nurse myself, I know what students are going through and try to encourage them to seek out their dreams as I did. For me I am not only a dean, but also try to be a caring friend to students by helping them find someone to relate to. I am also very happy to see more Saudi men and women entering the field despite the pressures and I hope that this is the beginning of a 360 degree change in social attitudes about nursing in this country,” she said.
Yahia, who has a Ph.D. in Nursing from the US-based George Mason University, explained the social stigma behind nursing. “One day I was invited to give a lecture at a local university and was introduced as Dr. Yahia. During my lecture I was treated with respect and admiration and after completing my talk I asked students if there were any questions. One student asked me to elaborate on what kind of doctor I was and what my specialty was. I was very surprised at the disappointment when I explained that my specialty is nursing and that I hold a doctorate degree in the field. It was as if suddenly I lost all credibility as a trusted speaker due to the stereotype surrounding my career,” she said.
“However, I explained that nursing is a much more challenging career compared to being a doctor because, statistically speaking, for every four hours surgeons spend on successful operations there is 20 hours of pre- and post-surgery support work,” Yahia said.
She went on to say that she is currently on the National Nursing Scientific Board and the Saudi Commission of Health Specialists, and is working diligently to set up a government-approved system of academic standards, code of ethics and licensing for nursing in the Kingdom.
“My intent is to develop nursing in Saudi Arabia in all areas of education, practice and research,” Yahia admitted.
“I want the nursing profession, which is presently 80 percent expatriate, to become a career choice that Saudis can be proud of, as it not only prepares students for a job but also as responsible adults. I want society to know that is a profession that deserves respect,” she said.
International Nursing Day is celebrated in honor of the valuable contributions nurses around the globe provide to society each day.
