Dr Duane Sands, Minister of Health. Photo: Shawn Hanna/Tribune staff
By Ricardo Wells
Tribune Staff Reporter
rwells@tribunemedia.net
HEALTH officials have contracted 100 locally trained nurses to fill positions throughout the public health sector left vacant by American recruitment.
But as the public health system is still grappling with a local nurse shortage, the government will have to hire workers from overseas to fill the gaps.
Health Minister Dr Duane Sands announced the move yesterday after being asked to respond to concerns raised over the critical shortage of registered and clinical nurses by Nursing Director Marcel Johnson in a recent paper addressed to him.
Dr Sands, who spoke to reporters outside of Cabinet, said health officials convened a “high-level” panel to analyse and find the root causes of the situation - namely pay for nurses, benefits and conditions of service.
The Elizabeth MP contended these specific points were high on the list of many of the nurses who have relocated to America in recent years.
Dr Sands said The Bahamas, as a result of infrastructural shortfalls, limited resources, high crime, lifestyle choices and the current shortage of healthcare practitioners, now finds itself in the “perfect storm” of challenges.
When asked to clarify the challenges he was referring to, Dr Sands said: “This is a consequence of the choices that we have made as a country and the impact of crime on the care of people with heart disease, stroke, diabetes and high blood pressure and arthritis; you cannot be underestimating.
“When we look at this perfect storm now, and the reason why I keep telling these stories is so that the people understand that collectively we can solve this, but it will take serious decision-making together.
“It is going to mean that Bahamians are going to have to look in the mirror and say, ‘I am going to do some things differently’, because the hospital may not be available for certain services if we can’t solve some of these problems.”
Dr Sands said it was critical for The Bahamas to recognise the issue and find a way to address the brain drain in the health care sector.
“What we need to do is, we need to throw a blow,” he said. “We need to figure out how we can stop the bleeding, recognising that we are never going to be able to compete with North America head to head.”
Last October, Dr Sands foreshadowed the current crisis, suggesting at that time the dozens of nurses the health service was losing per month would over time cripple efforts to deliver quality healthcare.
He told The Tribune at the time the worsening phenomenon left the Bahamas in need for some 400 nurses.
That number has since surge to 668 according to the country’s nursing director - 528 revisited nurses and 140 trained clinical nurses.
Faced with those numbers yesterday, Dr Sands said: “We are looking at ways to modify the experience of nurses who are typically or in the majority female, so that they are more appreciated so that they are more inclined to remain in service in The Bahamas.”
He added: “But when you see that there is 600 or so vacancies, it speaks to the serious problem to deliver essential services throughout the Bahamas. And while you may be able to replace certain other grades of staff, you cannot provide healthcare without doctors and nurses.”
Dr Sands said The Bahamas had, in the past, benefited from being able to offset its loses by sourcing nurses from other Caribbean countries.
However, he said those source countries are now also being targeted by America.
Hoping to underscore the seriousness of the nursing crisis yesterday, Dr Sands said: “The entire Bahamian population needs to recognise that this impacts what happens to your mommy; this impacts what happens to your daddy; this impacts what happens in Governor’s Harbour or Andros.
“Until we can fix this, there is going to be an ongoing challenge with the delivery of healthcare services throughout the country. I think it speaks to the importance of this particular group of professional in the country,” he said.
Dr Sands continued: “If there is a registered nurse who is competent and capable to licence and registered in The Bahamas, we can hire her today. Barring that, we are going to have to hire from wherever we can find them. Now the typical place that we have been hiring recently was in the Philippines.
“So, if you look at our critical care units, our emergency rooms, surgical wards, etcetera; you see an international group of nurses. We appreciate them, but the truth be told, we would much prefer if we could be self sufficient in at least the group of professionals.”
Comments
proudloudandfnm 6 years, 9 months ago
Simple answer really. PAY NURSES A DECENT SALARY. The amount of work they have for the incredibly small pay is a crime. I know nurses who work 80 hour weeks and take home less than an illegal immigrant gardner. Fix that and you will not have a shortage. Raise nurse and teacher pay before you even think of raising MP pay...
Chucky 6 years, 9 months ago
they are generally paid what they're worth. Go look in the hospital and watch the nurses, 90% obese, standing around, gossiping , or sitting on they're asses.
John 6 years, 9 months ago
How much sense does it make for The Bahamas Government to spend millions training nurses only to lose them to the United States or other competing countries? At least three things need to happen: 1. Improve the salaries and benefits for nurses 2. Hold government trained nurses to a five year bond where they must work in the public system for that time. 3. Create the position on ‘nurse’s aid where persons who are less qualified and less trained can assist with duties that are non medical. These persons can have opportunities to get further training and eventually qualified to become nurses.
observer2 6 years, 9 months ago
Its just amazing the ability of the Bahamian government to take a simple matter and obfuscate it with loads of drama and nonsense. A registered nurse in the Bahamas makes between $12,000 and $24,000 per annum and a nurse in the US makes between $67,930 and $122,990. As Baby Boomers in America are moving into old age and the demand for nurses far outstrips the supply. Therefore a registered nurse in the Bahamas can quadruple their salary by being recruited and working in the US.
What would you do? Stay and work at PMH or move?
Salary sourses: https://www.bahamas.gov.bs/wps/portal/p… https://nursesalaryguide.net/registered…
boopboop 6 years, 9 months ago
Agreed!!
TheMadHatter 6 years, 9 months ago
observer...yes, and when you factor in the lower cost of living in the US, that 4x salary becomes about 7x.
Trump has offered (thru back channels) for The Bahamas to become the 51st state - but our leaders have refused without (as usual) even consulting the public.
DDK 6 years, 9 months ago
51st state. Are you Mad, Hatter?
TheMadHatter 6 years, 9 months ago
Actually I am Mad as a Hatter - but that is beside the point. The point is that here in the Bahamas we import most of our "stuff" from the USA, we travel there all the time, watch their movies, listen to their music, wear their designer clothes and hairstyles, drive their cars, use their computers, and eat mainly their food. We also like to run around town to all the stores trying to "change up money" to go on a trip. Yes, somehow the idea of being an actual state (instead of a pretend one) seems to offend us.
boopboop 6 years, 9 months ago
Might as well be a state. Then we'd all be able to move as we like.
DEDDIE 6 years, 9 months ago
A registered nurse in the US works harder than ones in the Bahamas. My aunt indicated that a registered nurse once given a patient is responsible for everything surrounding that patient. She has to bath and clean him as compared to the Bahamas such duties are passed on to clinical nurses. Yes, you are paid more but don't forget the taxes that uncle Sam demands.
spoitier 6 years, 9 months ago
Read some of the other comments and you would see that the US taxes doesn't make that much of a difference. Also, with the cost of living which includes gas prices, and now VAT. I would say they would make a lot more in the US.
boopboop 6 years, 9 months ago
And even after the taxes depending on where you decide to go, you still take home more than you would here.
ashley14 6 years, 9 months ago
Uncle Sam doesn't get that much. Also our taxes is why this nation has excellent roads, infrastructure, social systems, totally free schools, free health care at the health department. All medical for our elderly. Goes on forever and ever. Registered Nurses give medications and follows the doctors instructions. CNA's (certified nurses assistant) do everything else. Even our nurses assistant's have about a year of medical training). No one without training work with patients in our hospitals. The Registered Nurse is paid more for his or her education, and is therefore responsible for noticing changes that might need further attention. Teachers are paid for their knowledge. If you go to college and have a degree in this country, you will be paid for that knowledge and well you should be.
bogart 6 years, 9 months ago
Pay increase ......for nursing and others.....but when looking at the wastage in govt...continuous throwing money away to agencies.....agencies like Bank of the Bahamas with a few hundred employees instead of selling it...protectin private sharelders?... versus..... hundreds an hundreds of public hospital nurses needed more than the bank!!!!....the questions that might be raised with a due diligence even though the accountants have pointed out .......spending more for assets than its worth..100 million ...dollars!!......and on the other hand cannot pay nurses or buy hospital beds, or pay school teachers.....how can dis be when Dr Sands saying one ting and others doing another ting....?.?You know I wid you Dr. Sands cause you kno we lov we PMH ( we realy scrappin.... catchin hell an callin it good times ...cant afford private)
John 6 years, 9 months ago
The US has over 2,000 inmates in their prisons who were minors charged and sentenced as adults. They are now in their 60’s along with the regular ageing prison population and will need geriatric care. So prisons will now require additional nurses and nursing facilities. Some attorneys have attempted, unsuccessfully, to have these inmates transferred to special care facilities.
bogart 6 years, 9 months ago
@spoitier ...not only that but in an avtual case of a nurse a few years ago the US hospital got her an apt, school for her child and sent tickets. Bahamians who are nurses have to have top grades, almost always honour students and deans list, they can easily get foreign schlotships....those who are here actually choose to be here....for various reasons
sheeprunner12 6 years, 9 months ago
The UB regime to train nurses is almost like training a doctor for not even half the salary ........ who would go to school for four years to make just over $20,000??? ...... Hell, a Bahamian policeman gets 6 months training with 5 BJCs or a high school diploma to make $25,000 .... and BTC pays janitresses more than that ............. Duane Sands knows better, just do better.
BONEFISH 6 years, 9 months ago
A registered nurse with a bachelor's degree can make a lot more money in the US. They also have better working conditions. The countries in the caribbean, where The Bahamas recruited to make up our short-fall in nurses, the american firms are recruiting there also. These problems have been existed for years but have been ignored by the people in power.Like some issues in this country,they have gotten worse. It will take a lot of imagination, vision and management skills to reduce this situation. Something most leaders in this country don't possess.
Socrates 6 years, 9 months ago
i can't fault these people for moving on to better things. you need to leverage your skills and experience to get the best life for yourself and your dependents. A post training bond is a good idea, if taxpayer money trained them, there should be some minimun service requirement. it wont solve the problem, just give us breathing space to find replacements. we can never match first world country jobs, so accept that and look elsewhere, like the phillipines, and hire their well trained people. such is the way of free societies where individuals make their own choices.
boopboop 6 years, 9 months ago
Part of the issue- UB/COB
Now that the RN program is a bachelors degree program according to nursing students its taking them 5 years to graduate. Couple that with the registration process being disorganized at times and documents being misplaced by the school. Then there's courses being put off because of not having someone to teach a particular course needed to graduate or move from the pre-requisite course to the core program, courses being discontinued and courses being added when students thinking that they're done. This adds unnecessary time to one being able to graduate. Add to the issue nurses retiring, moving to private hospitals, the US and Canada, you now have a deficit. Obviously nurses are not being produced quick enough to facilitate the needs of the country.
Possible Solution- Revert to the Associates Degree Nursing program which is about 3 years. Focus more on technical skills, bedside manners, nurturing the right attitude and compassion. I'd prefer a nurse with an associates degree highly skilled with a good attitude than a 5 year bachelors degree nurse with a poor attitude. There does exist those nurses who really care are highly skilled and know how to treat people, but not enough to ensure consistency 24 hours a day.
Think about it though. There exists those nurses who are excited about being nurses who really want to save lives,but don't want to work at a place scrapping for supplies and ill equipped. They want to work in a fully equipped state of the art facility that pays well and has room for advancement. Can you blame them? I don't! Do you?
Giordano 6 years, 9 months ago
It seems to be about attitude far much than infrastructure,equipment and we'll care reciprocity. Only love is paid with love. This is a very stressful job immerse in a sick society with practically small population full of verbal violence as well as a lot of gun shot wund and stabbed wound among young people who follow the sad process of the "Gun Club Society" We also are a place full of resorts & Hotels that should offert complimentary room with all amenities available as a courtesy for stressful health care providers including nurses,ambulance staff and Doctors gaining very lou salary.
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