FACED WITH STAFFING CRISIS, COUNTRIES TO WORK OUT STRATEGIES TO RESTORE THEIR NURSING WORKFORCES

Media Advisory N° 13
15 October 2001

FACED WITH STAFFING CRISIS, COUNTRIES TO WORK OUT STRATEGIES TO RESTORE THEIR NURSING WORKFORCES

Qualified nurses and midwives in many developed and developing countries are leaving these professions and new recruits are insufficient to replace them. During the May 2001 World Health Assembly, several ministers of health voiced concerns about providing quality nursing and midwifery services in health systems in their own countries. An international conference is being held this week to address nursing workforce issues.

Underpay, hazardous working conditions and lack of career development, professional status and autonomy are among the reasons behind the nursing shortage. The severe deficit of nursing staff has led to the closure of essential health care facilities, including emergency rooms. Increased morbidity and mortality have been linked by researchers to the nursing workforce shortage.

"Countries are seeking evidence on the set of best practices that will address workforce shortages in their specific context. The type and nature of the shortage differs from country to country, so no single blueprint for a solution exists," said Dr Naeema Al-Gasseer, Senior Scientist for Nursing and Midwifery, World Health Organization (WHO).

WHO, along with its partners, is collecting data on the determinants and characteristics of nursing workforce shortages in order to develop strategies for human resources and models to improve the situation.

WHO's partners are the International Council of Nurses, the Lillian Carter Center for International Nursing at Emory University and the governments of Canada, the United Kingdom and the United States. The Pan American Health Organization, WHO's Regional Office for the Americas, is closely involved in this issue as well.

The conference will also help provide nursing leaders with important negotiation, problem-solving, critical thinking and conflict resolution skills. "Nursing leaders need to be able to participate in human resource planning and negotiate improved working conditions, which would ultimately help attract people to the profession," said Dr Al-Gasseer. They also need the tools to collect and analyze information. For instance, they need to be able to assess the situation in order to make informed decisions in planning for health.

WHAT: "Global Nursing Partnerships: Strategies for a Sustainable Nursing Workforce," the first ever, large global conference bringing together relevant partners to address the nursing shortage crisis.

WHERE: The Carter Center; Freedom Parkway; Atlanta, Georgia; United States.

WHEN: The conference runs from 15-19 October 2001. Journalists are invited to cover the conference on 18-19 October.

WHO: Participants will include WHO, a co-sponsor of the conference along with the, Lillian Carter Center for International Nursing at Emory University; representatives from over 70 governments; representatives from nursing associations such as the International Council of Nurses and human resource directors and health planners. Alliances amongst these partners are crucial to alleviate the workforce shortage. Dr Jeffrey Koplan, Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a WHO Collaborating Center will close the conference.

MEDIA ARRANGEMENTS:

Registration: To register for the conference and to request programme materials, please contact Holly Korschun, Health Sciences Communications Office, Emory University, 1440 Clifton Road; Atlanta, GA 30322; Tel. +1 404 727 3990; E-mail: hkorsch@emory.edu . Ms Korschun can be reached on 18-19 October on her cell phone: +1 678 613 3226.

Journalists are requested to bring their press card to the registration desk at the entrance of The Carter Center, located on Freedom Parkway, Atlanta. A press badge will be provided.

Web cast: A live web cast of the main conference sessions will be available at www.nursing.emory.edu beginning at 9:00 am EDT on 18 October. The web cast will also be archived at the web site.

Questions and interviews about nursing workforce issues: From 15-19 October, please contact Dr Naeema Al-Gasseer, Senior Scientist for Nursing and Midwifery; at the Carter Center in Atlanta, Georgia; Tel. +1 404 420 5155; Fax: +1 404 614 3737 or at the J.W. Marriott Hotel, LENOX; Tel.: +1 404 262 3344; Fax: +1 404 262 8689. After 21 October, please contact Dr Al-Gasseer at WHO, Geneva; Tel.: +41 22 791 2325; Fax: +41 22 791 4747; E-mail: algasseern@who.int.

Or, please contact Ms Vena Persaud; WHO, Geneva; Tel.: +41 22 791 3588; E-mail: persaudv@who.int