Nursing crisis looms as 2,500 to quit within year
DOUBLE WHAMMY: Retirement and emigration to spark shortage
Ireland is facing into a nursing crisis -- with 1,000 nurses retiring and 1,500 newly qualified nurses emigrating in this year alone.
The Irish nurses and Midwives organisation (INMO) has warned it is deeply concerned that there will be a shortage of nurses in Irish hospitals over the next three years.
An unprecedented exodus of Irish non-national nurses from the country is already occurring, along with qualified Irish nurses, for better pay and conditions.
Some 1,500 newly qualified Irish graduates of nursing will go abroad in search of work this year, and some 350 non-Irish national nurses have already indicated a desire to leave.
Indian, Philippino, and British nurses and midwives have sought verification of registration this year, which is required if they wish to work abroad, from An Bord Altranais.
This number is already up on last year's 284.
Australia, Canada, the UK and New Zealand are the four most popular countries of choice where nurses and midwives intend to practice this year.
Annette Kennedy, Director of Professional Development at the Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) told the Herald that the situation could reach crisis point.
She said: "The INMO is very concerned that Ireland will be short of nurses and midwives in the future and will be forced to recruit from other countries, which will mirror what is now happening in the medical profession with doctors being recruited from Pakistan, and what happened with the nursing profession in the late 90s."
The number of Irish trained nurses and midwives indicating an intention to practice abroad is 484 this year, compared with last year's 1,102.
But 1,500 newly qualified graduates of nursing will leave for better pay and conditions abroad in the coming months.
"The reasons are multi- factorial," said Ms Kennedy.
"It's because of the current moratorium on jobs in the health service, concerns about the security of their current employment, conditions of employment, lack of promotional opportunities and the cost of living."
She added: "There will be 1,000 nurses retiring this year alone, and 1,500 new graduates are leaving. This is going to leave us in a very bad situation in the next three years."
hnews@herald.ie
- Geraldine Gittens
