NURSING IN SAUDI ARABIA: OBSTACLES AND POTENTIAL POLICY SOLUTIONS
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Abstract
Background As a component of Saudi Arabia's long-term plan, Vision 2030, the country's healthcare system is currently experiencing fast change in accordance with the National Transformation Programme. From the standpoint of nursing HRH, there are a number of obstacles, including a lack of qualified candidates, gender bias, a lack of nurses in remote regions, a fragmented labour market, a high number of expats employed, and a poor capacity for nursing schools. Presentation of a case This case study provides a synopsis of the assessment of the present difficulties encountered by Saudi Arabian nurses conducted by the Saudi Health Council (SHC) and the Saudi Ministry of Health (MOH). To help the nursing profession evolve into one that provides effective, high-quality healthcare to all Saudi citizens, we suggest governmental initiatives. A more direct route for students from middle school and high school to nursing school, with a variety of career options that include postgraduate study, is essential to the success of Saudi Arabia's effort to modernise its workforce. There are ways to make nursing a more appealing and family-friendly career path in order to keep nurses from leaving. Shortening shifts, reorganising the nursing staff to incorporate more allied health professionals, and using locum tenens workers to distribute workload are all potential solutions. New postgraduate nursing programmes can be established, existing ones can be updated, and possibilities can be created for nurses to work in fields like telenursing, informatics, and quality, among others. It is important to establish rural pipelines and provide underserved areas with incentives and higher remuneration packages. Final thoughts The Ministry of Health's (MOH) cooperation with healthcare system partners, especially the corporate sector, is essential to these planned improvements. All levels of nursing leadership should be fortified, and human resource planning should cover the entire sector.
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