‘High dropout rate among Emiratis studying nursing’

There is a high dropout rate among Emiratis studying nursing as many people perceive the profession as inferior, a recent study from the Emirates Nursing Association (ENA) has pointed out.

Long hours, few financial returns and low levels of education are some of the reasons that citizens do not perceive nursing as an ideal career choice, the study noted.

Seventy-five per cent of all the nurses working at the Ministry of Health hold nursing diploma and 24 per cent hold bachelor of nursing degree, while only five graduates have master and one PhD degrees.

The study highlighted the challenges in the nursing field, including low salaries and financial incentives, inflexible shifts, transfer of majority of citizen nurses to administrative jobs, while the foreigners occupy leadership positions.

The study recommended that students in high school should be encouraged to take up nursing courses in school and thereafter in university as a specialised course.

It suggested that males be encouraged to go to nursing schools of the Ministry of Health, and given financial help through scholarships.

Fresh graduates should also be offered better financial incentives, it noted. The study pointed out that there is a shortage of nurses globally and many states bring in immigrant labour to meet this need.

However, it added that a shortage of nurses locally can result in a gap in the medical sector and closure of medical wards and sections.

The increasing need leads to dependence on foreign and unqualified workers to cover the shortage, which affects the level of nursing care and medical services.

It pointed out that some youngsters are reluctant to take up nursing as a profession due to lack of courses at public universities and also because students lack awareness about the profession.

Apart from the low salary, the study found that there is a perception among men that it is a profession of women, and it hinders them from joining the field.