TY - JOUR
T1 - Challenges facing the nursing profession in Saudi Arabia
T2 - An integrative review
AU - Alsadaan, Nourah
AU - Jones, Linda
AU - Kimpton, Amanda
AU - Da Costa, Cliff
PY - 2021/5/31
Y1 - 2021/5/31
N2 - There is a paucity of recent literature identifying the issues facing
the nursing profession in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this integrative
review is to highlight the ongoing challenges facing the nursing
profession in Saudi Arabia despite attempts to make a difference and
suggests recommendations for the future. Literature published from 2000
to 2020, inclusive, relevant for nursing challenges in Saudi Arabia was
accessed and reviewed from multiple sources. In Saudi Arabia, inadequate
numbers of Saudi nurses have prompted an increase in recruitment of
expatriate nurses. This has created its own issues including, retention,
lack of competency in English and Arabic, as well as Arabic cultural
aspects, insufficient experience, and a high workload. The result is job
dissatisfaction and increased attrition as these nurses prefer to move
to more developed countries. For national nurses, the issues are the
need to recruit more and retain these nurses. There are a range of
cultural factors that contribute to these issues with national nurses.
There is a need to improve the image of nursing to recruit more Saudi
nurses as well as addressing issues in education and work environment.
For expatriate nurses there is a need for a better recruitment
processes, a thorough program of education to improve knowledge and
skills to equip them to work and stay in Saudi. There is also a need for
organizational changes to be made to increase the job satisfaction and
retention of nurses generally. Healthcare in Saudi Arabia also needs
leaders to efficiently manage the various issues associated with the
nursing workforce challenges.
AB - There is a paucity of recent literature identifying the issues facing
the nursing profession in Saudi Arabia. The aim of this integrative
review is to highlight the ongoing challenges facing the nursing
profession in Saudi Arabia despite attempts to make a difference and
suggests recommendations for the future. Literature published from 2000
to 2020, inclusive, relevant for nursing challenges in Saudi Arabia was
accessed and reviewed from multiple sources. In Saudi Arabia, inadequate
numbers of Saudi nurses have prompted an increase in recruitment of
expatriate nurses. This has created its own issues including, retention,
lack of competency in English and Arabic, as well as Arabic cultural
aspects, insufficient experience, and a high workload. The result is job
dissatisfaction and increased attrition as these nurses prefer to move
to more developed countries. For national nurses, the issues are the
need to recruit more and retain these nurses. There are a range of
cultural factors that contribute to these issues with national nurses.
There is a need to improve the image of nursing to recruit more Saudi
nurses as well as addressing issues in education and work environment.
For expatriate nurses there is a need for a better recruitment
processes, a thorough program of education to improve knowledge and
skills to equip them to work and stay in Saudi. There is also a need for
organizational changes to be made to increase the job satisfaction and
retention of nurses generally. Healthcare in Saudi Arabia also needs
leaders to efficiently manage the various issues associated with the
nursing workforce challenges.
KW - Saudi Arabia; nursing; nursing education; nursing workforce; challenges
U2 - https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep11020038
DO - https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep11020038
M3 - Review article
VL - 11
SP - 395
EP - 403
JO - Nursing Reports
JF - Nursing Reports
SN - 2039-4403
IS - 2
ER -