The Nurse Labor and Education Markets in the English-Speaking CARICOM : Issues and Options for Reform
The present report concludes the second phase of the cooperation between Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries and the World Bank to build skills for a competitive regional economy. It focuses on the nurse labor and education markets of the Engli...
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| Format: | Health Sector Review |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
World Bank
2012
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| Online Access: | http://www-wds.worldbank.org/external/default/main?menuPK=64187510&pagePK=64193027&piPK=64187937&theSitePK=523679&menuPK=64187510&searchMenuPK=64187283&siteName=WDS&entityID=000333038_20100119233822 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/3160 |
| Summary: | The present report concludes the second
phase of the cooperation between Caribbean Community
(CARICOM) countries and the World Bank to build skills for a
competitive regional economy. It focuses on the nurse labor
and education markets of the English-speaking (ES) CARICOM.
The topic was suggested by ministers of health concerned
with chronic staffing shortages in local health facilities
and anecdotal evidence of high migratory outflows. The
chronic staff shortages are likely to hamper the quality and
efficiency of health services, both of which are critical
factors in attracting international businesses and
retirement locales. The rationale for focusing on nurses was
that they compose the largest group of health care
professionals in the ES CARICOM and play a critical role in
strengthening health services in the face of the demographic
and epidemiological transition in the region. Moreover,
major achievements in improving and harmonizing curricula,
degrees, and licensing procedures among the ES countries of
CARICOM facilitate the international competition for this
globally scarce human resource. If the ES CARICOM is to
address current and future nurse shortages, be increasingly
protected against a large outflow of nurses, and
simultaneously recognize an individual's right to
freedom of movement and right to access health services,
then various policies must be examined. Ultimately, believe
that a false dichotomy exists between choosing to focus on
increasing nurse training capacity versus focusing on
managing migration; in fact, both must be done jointly and
immediately. If the ES CARICOM is to address current and
future nurse shortages, be increasingly protected against a
large outflow of nurses and simultaneously recognize an
individual's right to freedom of movement, the ES
CARICOM must both increase the number of nurse graduates and
manage migration. |
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