Nurse shortage.pdf

7/28/2019 Nurse shortage.pdf

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Nurse shortage 13 2555 00:00 . |Supply of nurses not keeping up with rising demand. Nurses tend to move to

less demanding jobs with higher salaries. Chronic shortages of professors and

lecturers in the nursing sector is a pressing concern that threatens the sustainabilityand attractiveness of Thailand's medical services in the long term, says the Thailand

Nursing and Midwifery Council."I am not at all worried about the brain drain and the migration of nurses to

countries such as Singapore and Brunei when the Asean Economic Community kick-starts in 2015. What worries me more is the shortages of nursing lecturers in the

country," said Prof Dr Wichit Srisuphan, the council's president.

She said Thailand has faced a shortage of nursing lecturers for the past decade,

and as services expand in cities and rural areas, both the quantity and quality of new

nursing graduates may be at stake. Currently, the ratio of lecturers to students in the

nursing sector is between 1:6 and 1:8, considered rather high. However, those training

for high-risk areas such as delivery rooms and intensive-care units require one-on-one

supervision or a student-teacher ratio of 1:2.There are now 4,000 nursing lecturers nationwide, but 2,000 more are needed

to meet rising demand and replace those who will retire. Out of the 160,000 nurses

registered in the country, 5,000-6,000 are 60 years old or older. Each year, 10,000

nurses graduate from training institutions under the Public Health Ministry,accounting for half the new nurses.

Despite being the largest source of nurses in the country, the ministry hastrouble attracting lecturers.

"Because it is not an educational institution per se, some of the rules and

regulations are not conducive to the upward mobility of these lecturers, unlike in

traditional universities, where lecturers can be promoted to higher ranks after a certain

period in service," said Prof Dr Wichit.Traditional universities have higher requirements for lecturers, with half

holding doctorate degrees and half holding master's degrees. Currently, less than 20%

of all nurses in the country have PhDs.

Doctorate-degree scholarships and scholarships to send nurses abroad were

plentiful in the early 1990s but dried up after the 1997 economic crisis.

"We really need more funds, and it would be great if the the government could

provide more sponsorship for nurses to become lecturers," said Prof Dr Wichit.Another problem the nursing industry faces is new graduates tend to leave the

profession for careers that are less demanding and offer higher financial rewards, saidProf Dr Wichit, adding that new mechanisms are needed to retain nurses, as new

graduates earn 20,000 baht a month.The abolition of ranks in the civil service has also taken a toll on the nursing

sector.

"Having no civil service rank, new nurses feel their careers are not stable.

With bargaining power reduced, salaries may not increase, and many nurses are hired

for positions lower than their qualifications," said Prof Dr Wichit.

Supply will be further strained as government services expand into remote

areas, and new regulations require nurses at tambon organisations and factories.

Schools also file requests for nurses to be sent from the Public Health

Ministry.


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"We'll need 40,000 more nurses then," said Prof Dr Wichit.

The government is also expanding specialised clinics across the country,

particularly in rural areas.

(Source: Bangkok Post, Economics, MEDICAL SERVICES, Nursingprofession in dire straits, 11/06/2012, Soonya Vanichkorn, link)

Nursing Profession Vocabulary

nursing profession - teh job of taking care of sick people, "nursing is a

profession within the healthcare sector focused on the care of individuals, families,

and communities so they may attain, maintain, or recover optimal health and qualityof life. Nurses may be differentiated from other health care providers by their

approach to patient care, training, and scope of practice. Nurses practice in a widediversity of practice areas with a different scope of practice and level of prescriber

authority in each. Many nurses provide care within the ordering scope of physicians,and this traditional role has come to shape the historic public image of nurses as care

providers. However, nurses are permitted by most jurisdictions to practice

independently in a variety of settings depending on training level. In the postwar

period, nurse education has undergone a process of diversification towards advanced

and specialized credentials, and many of the traditional regulations and provider roles

are changing" (See Wikipedia)

profession - a type of job requiring advanced training and education

nursing profession

sector - a part of the economy (public sector =government, private sector = all businesses, household sector = families and

consumers, banking sector,...) (See Wikipedia)

nursing sector

in dire straits - in a very serious and bad situation

shortage - when there is not enough of something chronic - existing for a long time

chronic shortage - when there is not enough for a long time

pressing - very urgent and important concern - a worry a pressing concern - a very important thing that must be done quickly that you

are worrying about

threatens - causes danger, may cause something bad to happen in the futuresustainability - situation or activity can continue for a long time

threatens the sustainability and attractiveness of Thailand's medical services in

the long term


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Nursing profession in dire straits. Chronic shortages of professors andlecturers in the nursing sector is a pressing concern that threatens the sustainability

and attractiveness of Thailand's medical services in the long term, says the Thailand

Nursing and Midwifery Council.

brain drain - a situation when educated people with special skills leave thecountry to earn more money in places where pay is higher

migration - moving to another place to live and work (example: migration to

Bangkok; migration to another country)

kick-starts - something quickly (like "kick-starting a motorcycle" with your

foot)

decade - a period of ten years , 10 for the past decade

expand - to become largerservices expand

rural - connected with the countryside outside big towns and cities ,

rural areas - in the countryside

at stake - at risk, may lose it

quality is at stake

"I am not at all worried about the brain drain and the migration of nurses to

countries such as Singapore and Brunei when the Asean Economic Community kick-starts in 2015. What worries me more is the shortages of nursing lecturers in the

country," said Prof Dr Wichit Srisuphan, the council's president. She said Thailandhas faced a shortage of nursing lecturers for the past decade, and as services expand in

cities and rural areas, both the quantity and quality of new nursing graduates may beat stake. Currently, the ratio of lecturers to students in the nursing sector is between

1:6 and 1:8, considered rather high.

training - to teach people how to do an activity or job training institutions - schools

risk - the possibility that something dangerous or unpleasant might happen

high-risk areas - areas where there is a lot of danger (examples: surgical

theatre, ICU, delivery room)

delivery rooms - the room in the hospitals where babies are born

intensive - involving a lot of effort, energy, or attention

intensive-care units


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supervision - the process of making sure that something is being done properly

one-on-one supervision - when there is one supervisor for each worker (so the

worker can learn a lot)

student-teacher ratio - the number of students per teacher

nationwide - throughout a whole country

demand - the need and desire to buy goods and services by households and

businessesrising demand

replace - to put a new person or thing in the place of something or someone

retire - stop working after many years of work when you are old

replace those who retire

registered - officially recorded with the government (and given permission to

work or operate)

nurses registered in the country

source - the place or person something comes from or starts at, or the cause of

something , the largest source of nurses in the country

ministry - a government department dealing with an area of activity

However, those training for high-risk areas such as delivery rooms and

intensive-care units require one-on-one supervision or a student-teacher ratio of 1:2.

There are now 4,000 nursing lecturers nationwide, but 2,000 more are needed to meet

rising demand and replace those who will retire. Out of the 160,000 nurses registeredin the country, 5,000-6,000 are 60 years or older. Each year, 10,000 nurses graduate

from training institutions under the Public Health Ministry, accounting for half the

new nurses. Despite being the largest source of nurses in the country, the ministry hastrouble attracting lecturers.

institutions - large and important organizations, such as universities or banks

educational institution - a school

per se - considered by itself (strictly speaking, considered all by itself)

it is not an educational institution per se


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regulations - official rules that control the way that things are done

rules and regulations

mobility - when people can move and travel easy from place to place

conducive to

mobility - being able to move to different places

upward mobility - being able to move to a higher job or better social position

rules and regulations are not conducive to the upward mobility of these

lecturers

traditional - things (clothes, music, customs, etc.) that have been part of a

country or society for a long timetraditional universities

promoted - moved to a higher position in the organization

promoted to higher ranks

lecturers can be promoted to higher ranks after a certain period in service

scholarships - money given to a student to pay for the cost of education

doctorate-degree scholarships

doctorate-degree scholarships and scholarships to send nurses abroad

plentiful - lots of it available

crisis - an urgent, difficult or dangerous situation 1997 economic crisis

funds - money needed or available to spend on something

we really need more funds - we really need more money

provide - to give someone something that they want or need

it would be great if the the government could provide more sponsorship for

nurses to become lecturers

"Because it is not an educational institution per se, some of the rules andregulations are not conducive to the upward mobility of these lecturers, unlike in

traditional universities, where lecturers can be promoted to higher ranks after a certain

period in service," said Prof Dr Wichit. Traditional universities have higherrequirements for lecturers, with half holding doctorate degrees and half holding


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master's degrees. Currently, less than 20% of all nurses in the country have PhDs.Doctorate-degree scholarships and scholarships to send nurses abroad were plentiful

in the early 1990s but dried up after the 1997 economic crisis. "We really need more

funds, and it would be great if the the government could provide more sponsorship for

nurses to become lecturers," said Prof Dr Wichit.

tend - to be likely to behave in a particular way or have a particular

characteristic tend to leave the profession

mechanisms

retain - keep staff, keep employees (when employees do not leave a company

to go work for another company)

retain nurses

Another problem the nursing industry faces is new graduates tend to leave the

profession for careers that are less demanding and offer higher financial rewards, said

Prof Dr Wichit, adding that new mechanisms are needed to retain nurses, as new

graduates earn 20,000 baht a month.

civil service - the group of government workers in a country

abolition - ending

abolition of ranks - ending of ranks

abolition of ranks in the civil service

toll - the number of people killed or injured in an accident, battle, attack, etc.

(here: meaning the people who have left the profession)

taken a toll on the nursing sector

rank - the position or level that an employee has in an organisation; official

position in the armed forces, police, fire services, etc. civil service rank - level in civil service (employment system of government

workers)

stable - not changing suddenly or a lot, therefore predictable and easy to work

with ,

Having no civil service rank, new nurses feel their careers are not stable.

bargaining - try to get a better deal from someone (for example, a better price

for something you want to buy)

bargaining power reduced, salaries may not increase

qualifications - the abilities, qualities, degrees, etc. that you need for a

particular job or activitynurses are hired for positions lower than their qualifications


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The abolition of ranks in the civil service has also taken a toll on the nursing

sector. "Having no civil service rank, new nurses feel their careers are not stable. With

bargaining power reduced, salaries may not increase, and many nurses are hired for

positions lower than their qualifications," said Prof Dr Wichit.

strained - being put under pressure, business has become more difficult

Supply will be further strained

remote - far away in distance far away from cities, difficult to get to ()

government services expand into remote areas

file - to take official action file a request

file requests for nurses - ask for nurses officially (according to government

procedures)

clinics - places where people go to receive medical treatment

specialised - specially trained in a particular narrow area of knowledge

specialised clinics - clinics that deal with certain diseases or medical problems

Supply will be further strained as government services expand into remoteareas, and new regulations require nurses at tambon organisations and factories.

Schools also file requests for nurses to be sent from the Public Health Ministry. "We'll

need 40,000 more nurses then," said Prof Dr Wichit. The government is also

expanding specialised clinics across the country, particularly in rural areas.

Documents

Nurse shortage.pdf