{"id":11758,"date":"2006-08-19T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2006-08-18T16:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/localhost\/wordpress\/2006\/08\/19\/130000-nurses-needed\/"},"modified":"2021-03-19T16:10:32","modified_gmt":"2021-03-19T08:10:32","slug":"130000-nurses-needed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rakansarawak.com\/v3\/2006\/08\/19\/130000-nurses-needed\/","title":{"rendered":"130,000 Nurses Needed"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>\n

The<\/p>\n

shortage of nurses in the country could seriously hamper the
\ngovernment\u2019s<\/p>\n

effort to provide quality medical services to the public if it is not
\naddressed<\/p>\n

soon.<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Health Minister, Dr.
\nChua Soi Lek said that the<\/p>\n

nation needed 170,000 nurses by 2020 but only 45,000 qualified nurses
\nare<\/p>\n

serving in both the public and private sector throughout the
\ncountry.<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

At<\/p>\n

the current rate of one nurse to 645 patients, Malaysia is still very
\nfar to<\/p>\n

reaching the World Health Organisation (WHO) recommended rate of one
\nnurse to<\/p>\n

about 200 patients.
\n<\/span>To make matters<\/p>\n

worst, a recent study by the Ministry of Health showed that the rate
\nof<\/p>\n

failures among trainees in the Ministry\u2019s 18 nursing colleges and 20
\nprivate<\/p>\n

colleges offering nursing programme in the country is alarmingly high.
\n<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

To<\/p>\n

meet the target of 130,000 nurses by 2020, Malaysia need to produce
\nabout 8,000<\/p>\n

nursing graduates a year but it seems that we are producing only about
\n2,000<\/p>\n

nursing graduates a year due to the high failure
\nrate.<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

In<\/p>\n

Sarawak, the nursing colleges produced less than 200 qualified nurses
\na<\/p>\n

year. <\/span>Out of the ??
\ntrainees that<\/p>\n

enrolled with the government nursing colleges each year, only <\/span>?? percent passed their
\nexaminations to<\/p>\n

qualify as certified nurses.
\n<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

This<\/p>\n

figure is obtained from a special study made on the reasons for the
\nhigh<\/p>\n

failure rate among nursing trainees in the ministry\u2019s 18 nursing
\ncolleges. <\/span>About 2000
\ntrainees are enrolled with the<\/p>\n

Ministry\u2019s 18 colleges and 1,000 in the private colleges offering
\nnursing<\/p>\n

programme.<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Low Passing
\nRates<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/h1>\n
\n<\/div>\n

The<\/p>\n

pass rate in 2002 for the Ministry\u2019s 18 nursing colleges was 56%,
\nrising to 81<\/p>\n

per cent in 2003 and dropping to 44 per cent last year. <\/span>In Sarawak, the ?? nursing colleges
\nrecorded<\/p>\n

an average pass rate of ?? in the last two
\nyears.<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

The<\/p>\n

private sector, however, is doing a lot better. <\/span>The pass rate was 71 per cent in
\n2002, 96% in 2003 and 98% last<\/p>\n

year.<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Attributing
\nFactors<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/h1>\n
\n<\/div>\n

The<\/p>\n

study also revealed several attributing factors to this alarming
\ntrend. <\/span>Dr. Chua said that
\nthe poor performance<\/p>\n

among the trainees in the ministry\u2019s nursing colleges could be
\nattributed to<\/p>\n

low academic requirements at entry level especially. <\/span>Trainees could qualify for the
\nministry\u2019s 3 \u2013year diploma nursing<\/p>\n

programme <\/span>with a pass in
\nEnglish and<\/p>\n

credits in Bahasa Malaysia, mathematics one science subject. <\/span>Compared to the same programme
\noffered by<\/p>\n

the private institutions, a three \u2013year programme costs about RM30,000
\nand<\/p>\n

nursing students are required to have credits in all subjects including
\nall the<\/p>\n

sciences\u2019 subjects. <\/span>Despite
\nthe<\/p>\n

\u201cadvantages\u201d the students from the private sector are doing much better
\nthan<\/p>\n

the government trainees are also paid a monthly allowance of
\nRM621.<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Secondly,<\/p>\n

he said, the attitude of the tutors themselves may need improvement.
\nThe study<\/p>\n

also revealed that the tutors in the government\u2019s colleges were not as<\/p>\n

committed and dedicated as the ones in the private
\nsector.<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

<\/span>Thirdly, he revealed, the
\ntutors in the<\/p>\n

government colleges do not prepare their students well enough for<\/p>\n

examinations. <\/span>Because of
\nthis, he<\/p>\n

added, failure rate among them is very
\nhigh.<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

Proposed<\/p>\n

Suggestions<\/o:p><\/span><\/font><\/h1>\n

\n

According<\/p>\n

to Chua, there may be a need overhaul the nursing training system to
\nensure<\/p>\n

equal composition among the major races and increase trainee intakes
\namong the<\/p>\n

Chinese and Indians. <\/span>It is
\nalso<\/p>\n

suggested that perhaps the RM621 allowance be converted to loans to
\nboost<\/p>\n

examination performances. Nursing college facilities may need major
\nimprovement<\/p>\n

and to increase the number schools offering the nursing programme, the
\nNational<\/p>\n

Accreditation Board (LAN) should speed up accreditation process of
\nprivate<\/p>\n

nursing programme.
\n<\/span><\/span><\/font>\n <\/div>\n

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