PETALING JAYA: Lifting the moratorium on new diploma-level nursing courses is just one part of the solution towards addressing the estimated 62% shortage of registered professionals by 2030, say nurses’ groups.
They say while it is a positive step, better salaries and continuing to allow foreign nurses, among others, are needed to replace those leaving the service.
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Malayan Nurses Union president Saaidah Athman said lifting the moratorium is a way to increase the number of future nurses, adding that Health Ministry colleges would also be accepting more trainees to address the shortage.“Previously, many private nursing colleges were forced to close due to the Covid-19 pandemic and strict requirements. There has also been a decline in interest among young people for nursing,” she said in an interview yesterday.The shortage of nurses, said Saadiah, is an ongoing issue, with an estimated 4% to 5% leaving the profession each year due to migration, retirement or resignation.
“The starting salary for nurses in the civil service is around RM1,800 per month, excluding allowances based on the existing government scheme. This should be increased to RM2,000 with new allowances created for shifts and meals, as practised in other countries,” she said.
Malaysian healthcare workers, including nurses, said Saaidah, are migrating for higher salaries and better opportunities abroad.“This has created nursing vacancies, forcing government hospital nurses to work overtime and leading to burnout and early retirement,” she said.
Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapha Sakmud had told the Dewan Negara on July 23 that the moratorium on new diploma-level nursing courses at private higher education institutions, which had been in effect since 2010, would end on Aug 1.
He said the Cabinet had made the decision to lift the moratorium on July 5 after discussions between the Higher Education Ministry and the Health Ministry on the shortage of registered nurses in the country.
Association of Private Hospitals of Malaysia’s nursing chapter chairman Sally Tan said lifting the moratorium is only a short-term measure and would not immediately resolve the nursing shortage.
“We call on the Nursing Board to allow private hospitals to recruit experienced foreign nurses without post-basic qualifications until 2027 – before new batches of nurses are trained,” she said.Retaining nurses, said Tan, is a challenge as Malaysia cannot compete with the salaries offered abroad.
“The new generation of nurses seeks better work-life balance, which can be addressed through flexible working hours once there is a sufficient pool.
“Improving career advancement, working environment and mental wellness support are also important steps. The 20% allocation of specialised nursing courses should also be increased for private hospitals,” she said.
More concrete, strategic and long-term solutions are needed, such as public-private partnerships to share resources, create awareness to encourage young people to pursue nursing and improve collaboration between academic institutions and clinical settings, added Tan.
Mahsa University’s founder and former dean of nursing and midwifery Prof Zahrah Saad said the nurses’ groups had been waiting for the government to revise their salaries.
“Nurses have always been the backbone of the healthcare system, covering about 50% of the workforce. We hope the new incentives and allowances will be better than before,” she said, adding that the Health Ministry’s primary and immediate step should be on retaining existing nurses in the public service.
“We propose revising nurses’ salaries and benefits, benchmarking post-basic allowances and creating a positive work environment with work-life balance.
“Nurses should also be relocated based on expertise and not just as ‘emergency replacements’,” she said.She added that nurse trainee selection criteria should also be reviewed, especially in the private sector, to address overworking.“Reinstate ward or counter administrative staff to allow nurses to focus on core duties,” she suggested.
