The Effect of Migration of Nurses on the Quality of Health Care Delivery at Some Wards at the Philippine General Hospital

Abstract

Labor is the Philippines’ primary export. And it is indeed a great resource. The Philippines provide the world with many health professionals and has the most number of nurses working outside it. Thousands of nurses leave every year. The Professional Regulations Commission reported that from 1994 to 2000, between 4,200 and 7,500 Filipino nurses were deployed abroad, by 2001, the numbers reached five figures; in 2003, the number was only 1,500 shy of reaching the 20,000 mark. (Medical Observer, Issue 7. August 2005). Most of those who leave and plan to leave blame key issues such as political instability, poor working conditions, low salary compensation, and peace-and-order problem as reasons for their career shift. With the promise of nearly 20,000 nursing positions every year in 32 countries there is a fast turnover of people comprising hospital nursing staff. The Philippines is exporting more qualified nurses than it is producing, leading to a nursing crisis that has already diminished the quality of hospital care. This crisis and shortage of skilled nurses compromises the quality of patient care such as higher incidence of cross-infections, adverse events after surgery, accidents, injuries and even increased violence against the staff. These are just some of the different risks that are facing the Filipinos especially the patients with regards to health care due to the migration of health workers particularly the nurses. This study aims to document the realization of the risks of the Filipino patient at hand and be able to get the attention of those in authority to do something on the crisis and together work harder to improve the health condition of Filipinos. It also wishes to make nurses aware of their importance - and their services - to the “Sambayanang Pilipino”. The study was conducted at some of the charity wards of the Philippine General Hospital and accidental sampling and questionnaires were employed.