The long-standing predicament by the nursing profession of not enough nurses is still an issue which the Samoa Registered Nurses Association faces.
Savali reported the the shortage of nurses to meet the country’s’ health care provider services and medical needs is nothing new, admits Association President Solialofi Papalii.
“There are more than 700 registered nurses in Samoa that include those working in private clinics and who have their retirement extended to continue the service,” reiterated Papalii in an exclusive interview with the Savali Newspaper.
And to sustain the shortfall, the nursing profession is committed to their Nightingale’s resolve to work double shift and overtime, she added.
Even with the graduate students from the NUS Nursing Degrees and Diplomas Program, Papalii says that it helps but more nurses are needed.
“These students graduate from the University and are brought to the Nursing Board’s Association and practice the application of nursing for a year before they can even be registered nurses.”
To retain nurses from migrating overseas to better rewards, Papalii recommends for better salaries and benefits for the profession.
She told Savali this will discourage qualified nurses from leaving the profession to take up seasonal work with the Recognized Seasonal Employer (RSE) scheme.
According to Papalii the figures today are probably more forthcoming compared to many years ago when the profession attracted very little interest from the community to enter into the field.
She claims this was due to their being very little awareness of the true nature of the profession but in recent years when promotion was initiated as a way forward there has been more interest from the community thus resulting in the current registered nurses figures.
Samoa’s population of 201,477 is being looked after by 700 plus registered and qualified nurses.
President of the Samoa Registered Nurses Association Soliafi Papalii who tells of the continuous predicament of the nursing profession of shortages of qualified and registered members to address the caring and medical nursing needs of patients across the country.
SOURCE: Savali
