The Health Ministry is seeking to recruit between 200 and 300 foreign nurses to solve the “crisis” resulting from the shortage in the sector. Some operating theatres at Mater Dei Hospital have had to remain closed because the human resources are lacking, said the Parliamentary Secretary for Community Care, Mario Galea about the recruitment drive. In recent months, the health authorities embarked on a campaign to entice more students to consider taking up nursing, but the profession is competing with other areas of healthcare, such as social work and psychology, where there is also a...

By Jun Burgos MANILA, Philippines—The United States is experiencing a deep nursing shortage that is expected to further intensify in the face of the increasing need for health care primarily because of the aging American population. The shortage is compounded by the fact that nursing colleges and universities across the country, struggling to expand enrollment levels, have not been producing the number of graduates to meet the demand. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN), there is indeed a deep shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs) in the US and it is thus working...

Scotland’s health minister faced accusations of risking patient care after announcing almost 4,000 NHS jobs will be axed this year. Nicola Sturgeon said about 3,790 posts will be scrapped in the health service, including 1,523 nurses and midwives and 1,053 administrators. She insisted patients will not be affected by the cuts and assured staff there will be no compulsory redundancies, with the final total only decided after trade unions have been consulted. But Labour and doctors’ leaders warned the cuts cannot be made without affecting front line services because the NHS is operating at...

Health authority accused of having ‘warped priorities’ By ADAM MORRIS NHS LOTHIAN has created a new £100,000-a-year human resources role as part of the same strategy which will axe 333 nurses, it can be revealed today. It has emerged that while health chiefs want to slim the workforce by 2,000 over the next two years, an assistant director of HR has been appointed – on the wage of four nurses. Patient groups and politicians, who have campaigned for frontline workers to be protected, are furious that a six-figure salary could be given for a role that has not existed for at least...

Manpower today released the results of its fifth Manpower Talent Shortage Survey, revealing persistent talent shortages in many countries and industry sectors. In the U.S., 14% of employers reported having difficulty filling key positions within their organization, down from 19% in 2009. Worldwide, 31% of employers are experiencing challenges finding the right talent, similar to the 2009 figure of 30%. The most difficult U.S. jobs to fill are Skilled Trades, Sales Representatives, Nurses and Technicians. These job titles have appeared on the U.S. survey in past years and closely mirror the global...

If you have ever wondered about being a nurse, what about starting your career as a certified nursing assistant? It is a job that does not require as much education as an RN (Registered Nurse) but can provide you with the education and experience on your way to being one. A Certified Nursing Assistant, or, CNA, is a position you can start to see if nursing is the right field for you. Let’s start out with salary basics and go from there. The average salary of a full-time CNA here in Colorado Springs is about $25,000. An RN’s salary is about $53,000. Salaries can go higher as you...

(Reuters) – Health ministers sealed a rare global accord Friday to avoid recruiting doctors and nurses from poor countries where there is an acute shortage of medical staff. The voluntary code for World Health Organization members is only the second such accord in its history and follows six years of negotiations aimed at stemming the exodus of health care workers from around 60 of the world’s poorest countries. “You reached agreement on some very important items that are a real gift to public health, everywhere. Thanks to some all night efforts, we now have a code of practice...

By LYNDSAY MOSS MORE health boards in Scotland have signalled job cuts to come as they try to save hundreds of millions of pounds. NHS Tayside said about 500 posts would be lost, while other boards revealed plans not to replace staff who leave. It comes after NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said more than 1,200 jobs would be axed in the next 18 months – more than half in nursing and midwifery. Doctors, nurses and union leaders have warned the cuts will affect patient care. But health boards have maintained that their money-saving plans can be delivered without impacting on services. They also...

Delegates at a major nursing conference in Londonderry have warned politicians about the dangers of cutting back spending on health. The conference at the University of Ulster’s Magee campus is examining the current problems faced by the health service. Read more…

By Gwenn Garland BERLIN — With a national nursing shortage and nurses facing ever-increasing duties, one Eastern Shore hospital has found a previously untapped resource to help its patients: retired nurses. Started in 2007, Atlantic General Hospital’s retired nurse volunteer program is a help to not only the nurses, but also patients and the volunteers themselves. “We want to help out in any way we can,” said Joyce Brittan of Ocean City, the coordinator of the retired nurse program. “We cannot do anything invasive, but our members can take blood pressures, help out with paperwork or...