IN 2005 to 2010, with the mushrooming of nursing schools in the country, concern was expressed over a glut of nurses being churned out in the healthcare sector, with as many as 10,000 students graduating each year.
This prompted the Malaysian Nursing Board to announce new regulations in August 2010 which increased nursing entry requirements to five credits to stem the tide of new nurses.
Ironically, the measure has been so effective that the shrinking number of candidates pursuing the vocation is a very real challenge faced by the industry today.
“Previously, when the requirements to pursue nursing were only three credits, everybody jumped on the bandwagon and we had as many as 10,000 students coming out each year. Once the number of credits was increased from three to five, there was a vast drop in intakes for nursing.
“Now, there are less than 3,000 nurses graduating yearly.
“Many colleges which offered nursing courses closed down, resulting in fewer nurses being trained,” says Ng Kok Toh, head of nursing programmes at International Medical College in Subang Jaya.
Another contributing factor is the drop in National Higher Education Fund Corporation (PTPTN) loans for students.
“In the past, the loans were worth RM60,000 but now Bantuan Rakyat 1Malaysia (BR1M) recipients are awarded a maximum of RM38,000, while those who do not fall under this category receive only about RM20,000 to RM24,000. Students cannot afford to pursue nursing courses which cost more than this.”
Budget cuts by private hospitals to support training and sponsorship of students, as well as increased student interest in other more lucrative courses are other factors she cited.
Because of the low number of nursing candidates, she believes that by 2018, with more new hospitals expected to come on line there will be a severe shortage of nurses.
“The shortage will be so severe that healthcare providers may resort to poaching nurses from each other,” says Ng, who has been in the nursing profession for 35 years.
Compounding the problem is affluent Singapore, which is actively recruiting our girls.
“Those days, they were particular about taking only experienced nurses but now they are willing to recruit anyone who is qualified, even paying off their bonds.
“But one thing they are very particular about is that the girls must be able to speak English.”
She says in the past, nurses headed to Saudi Arabia, but Singapore is emerging as their preferred destination.
MAHSA University Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery dean Professor Zahrah Saad agrees that the promise of a better salary in Singapore is attracting younger nurses there.
“There are about 2,000 nurses working in Saudi Arabia. But because the Saudis are imposing taxes on their income and have cut down on their allowances, many of them are returning to Malaysia.
“Sadly, it is just a stopover before they head to Singapore. Singapore is just waiting for them with open arms, more so if they have working experience in Saudi Arabia.”
She says there is a shortage of nurses with specialisation in the country.
“We are lacking oncology, critical care and paediatric nurses. While a detailed study needs to be done on the shortage, nurses themselves admit they have to do double duty frequently which indicates there is a shortage”.
In a short survey she conducted with nurses, they also complained of having to concentrate on non-nursing functions like documentation which impeded direct patient care.
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