Almost half of the nursing workforce in SA is set to retire in the next 15 years. This suggests existing shortages of nurses will become even greater unless we take concrete steps to boost nurse training and retention.
Nurses make up a large part of the healthcare workforce in South Africa, but almost half of them are set to retire in the next 15 years, making current shortages only the start of what is likely to be a growing problem.
The demographics of enrolled nurses and nursing auxiliaries are only slightly more evenly distributed. “It’s not just the replacement of the actual individuals, but you also have to look at the cumulative experience and wisdom in the health system, and that’s not going to be replaced unless we sort of take action now,”The Rural Health Advocacy Project has been doing a variety of consultations with stakeholders in the nursing field in the past months.
Gamede explains that this crisis will have a negative effect on the ability to provide primary healthcare, given the important role of nurses in this, as well as undermine the health system’s ability to focus on TB and HIV care. Key health indicators, especially of children, and the general ability to reach the health-related Sustainable Development Goals will be compromised., the total number of nurses on their register has increased from around 238,000 in 2011 to around 280,000 in 2020.
She explains that many smaller private schools have closed down because they could not afford to register as an HEI. Public nursing colleges did not meet the requirements, although the Minister of Higher Education created aGeyer says, “The most challenging change is that only universities have been accredited to offer the professional nurse programme – this will result in an almost 80% drop in the production of professional nurses in three years’ time.
The South African Nursing Council’s statistics from 2020 show fewer than a third of nurses are under the age of 40, 27% of registered nurses are in their 50s, 26% in their 40s, and only 21% in their 30s.
South Africa Latest News, South Africa Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Oman almost had to wave 'Goodbye' to World Cup due to deadly stormThe chairman of Oman's cricket board told Reuters he would have had to wave 'Goodbye' to the Twenty20 World Cup had a deadly storm that ripped through the Gulf state on Sunday taken a slightly different path.
Read more »
Siya Kolisi's love of liquor almost cost him his family, book revealsIt wasn’t until Siya Kolisi saw himself through the eyes of his family that he chose to make a change to his relationship with liquor.
Read more »
SA firms won't invest cash as long as there's heightened uncertainty - KganyagoSouth African Reserve Bank Governor Lesetja Kganyago told a webinar hosted by the Centre for Development and Enterprise (CDE) on Wednesday night that there was uncertainty about policy and also the way forward with regards to COVID-19.
Read more »
Kolisi's mission to make SA 'a better place'Springbok captain Siya Kolisi spearheaded the Impossible is Nothing campaign at an Adidas event in Cape Town this week, where the stories of 15 other SA athletes were shared.
Read more »
59 more deaths for SA, as 1 149 more get infected with Covid-19Fifty-nine more people have died due to Covid-19 complications in South Africa, as 1 149 more people have been infected with the virus in the past 24 hours, the Department of Health said on Wednesday.
Read more »
Tiny SA eatery can count itself among the World's 50 Best RestaurantsThe international restaurant industry waited with bated breath for the winners of the World’s 50 Best Restaurant awards to be announced on Wednesday night in Antwerp, Belgium.
Read more »