NURSES IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS (Measures to solve shortage)

Mr Teo Chong Tee asked the Acting Minister for Health (a) whether there is a shortage of nurses in each of the Govern- ment hospitals; (b) whether the shortage has somewhat affected the service provided to in-patients; (c) what measures are being taken to recruit and train more nursing staff; (d) whether the status of the nursing profession will be upgraded; and (e) why nurses are being deployed to perform some administrative functions as seen in the frontline areas of Government hospitals.

Mr Yeo Cheow Tong: Mr Deputy Speaker, Sir, every Government hospital is facing a shortage of nurses. The total shortage is about 1,000 nurses. However, there are about a thousand nurse trainees to provide the very basic patient care in hospitals under the supervision and guidance of trained nurses. This has helped to alleviate the shortage.

Despite the shortage of nurses, hospitals have been able to provide a good standard of nursing care. Work procedures have been simplified and unnecessary paper work removed. However, due to the shortfall, the nurses have not been able to respond as promptly to patients' requests as they would like to as the more seriously ill will have to be attended to first.

With regard to the recruitment of nurses, my Ministry is taking the following measures to recruit and train more nursing staff:

(i) A publicity programme is being launched to promote nursing as a career. Open houses will be organized by the hospitals. We will also be participating in career exhibitions and giving career talks to students at schools and public libraries.

(ii) Private hospitals have been asked to recruit and sponsor their own trainees for training at the Ministry's School of Nursing;

(iii) Retired nurses are being encouraged to return to the profession, if necessary, on a part-time basis.

Steps are also being taken to upgrade the status and image of the nursing profession. The Ministry is promoting nursing as a rewarding and satisfying career. We will increase the public's awareness of nurses as respected professionals with specialized skills.

Training opportunities for nurses are also being increased.

Since 1980, a total of 102 nurses have been sent overseas to attend various training courses and seminars to improve their skills. This year, the Ministry has, for the first time extended its Health Manpower Development Programme to include nurses. Under the HMDP, nurses will be sent to reputable centres in countries such as Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States for training in the various clinical specialities.

As from next year, 15-20 scholarships will be available for 'A' level students to pursue nursing degree courses in universities abroad.

All these measures will help upgrade and enhance the status and image of the nursing profession.

With regard to nurses performing administrative work, it is inevitable for some nurses to perform a certain amount of administrative work in the course of their duties. Where the duties are more clerical in nature, the Ministry has created clerical posts to replace the nurses. My Ministry will continue to review the deployment of nurses to optimize the use of their nursing skills.