The Nurse Labor and Education Markets in the English-Speaking CARICOM : Issues and Options for Reform
2009
World Bank
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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