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Physicians’ behaviour major stress factor among nurses: study

SHARJAH - Disruptive behaviour by physicians, including sexual harassment, is a major cause of stress for nurses at the workplace, according to a study.

Sexual harassment and verbal abuse of nurses by physicians causes dissatisfaction at the workplace, said Dr Farry Bruce, executive director of Al Saqr Hospital in Ras Al Khaimah, while speaking on the challenges faced by nurses in delivering healthcare worldwide.

“Such harassment forces nurses to quit their jobs rapidly, thereby affecting the quality of care being delivered in hospitals,” he explained. An ageing population is also among the challenges facing nursing care, he said. The study that included 1,777 subjects was highlighted at the annual meeting of American Surgical Association.

“According to studies, 41 per cent of nurses are dissatisfied with their jobs in the US, Canada, the UK and Scotland.” Besides, 22 per cent of nurses aged less than 30 years planned to leave their jobs in less than a year.

“Such shortages can lead to cancelled surgeries, reduced services, decrease of patient satisfaction as well as closing of hospital units,” said Dr Bruce speaking 
at a recently held seminar. “We need a lot of nurses in RAK,” he added.

An ageing workforce, fewer nursing schools and poor perception of the profession were some reasons highlighted in studies done to assess the reasons behind the global shortage, he said.

“In the West, 88 per cent of the people above 65 years have a chronic disease and this population needs a huge workforce,” said Dr Bruce. By 2012, the US alone would need to educate 1.1 
million nurses.

However, majority of nurses use the UAE as a springboard, said experts at the seminar. According to a recently held local study, of the total 23,433 nurses from different nationalities working in the country, only 759 were Emiratis. Indians and Filipinos continued to dominate the workforce.

“Though the average Emirati workforce has increased from the previous figure that stood at two per cent in 2007, we still have to meet a target of up to 25 per cent,” said Obaid Al Jenaidi, president of the Emirates 
Nursing Association.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com