A Review Of Nursing Education In Saudi Arabia

Abstract

This paper aims to address two research questions dealing with the current status of Saudi nursing education and methods to address its problems now and in the future. A Google Scholar search identified 14 papers that were discussed under two sections corresponding to the two research questions. Most authors almost agreed on the cultural, socio-economic, and personal factors as the causes of the low enrolment rate of Saudi nationals (especially females) in nursing colleges and the high turnover of nurses from both public and private hospitals. These trends have led to serious gaps in the supply concerning the demand now and are projected to be more serious in the future unless some immediate remedial steps are implemented. To address both the current and future problems of nursing education, the Saudi Vision 2030 provides some clues. Increased involvement of the private sector in healthcare activities, automation of health services delivery, and conversion of patient records into electronic forms are the main strategies that have been suggested by most authors. Large increases in the enrolment of Saudi nationals in nursing colleges can be achieved only if both the Saudi government and the healthcare organisations implement policies and strategies favourable to removing the cultural, socio-economic, and personal obstacles to it.