World governments must invest in nursing and universal health instead of choosing “short-term fixes”, a report by the International Council of Nurses (ICN) has urged.
The ICN’s new report, titled ‘Our Nurses, Our Future’, was unveiled today (8 May) ahead of International Nurses Day, which takes place on 12 May each year.
“The global nursing shortage is holding the world back, not just in terms of health for all, but wealth for all”
Pamela Cipriano
The report aimed to show world governments an economic argument for investing in nursing, fitting this year’s International Nurses Day theme of the ‘economic power of care’.
The ICN told leaders across the world that putting money into health is an economic boon in the long run, not a sunken cost, and urged a long-term approach to addressing issues in healthcare such as workforce shortages.
According to the ICN, poor health reduces global gross domestic product (GDP) by 15% and that investing in health infrastructure – even for developed countries – can help recoup this lost money, as well as save lives.
The ICN said the costs of strengthening health systems by investing in nursing would be “offset by productivity gains”. It stated that for each US dollar (USD) invested, the estimated economic return is between 2-4 USD.
The report highlighted that investing in primary care nurses could help to increase global life expectancy by 3.7 years by 2030 and support the ambition of universal health coverage.
However, to achieve universal health coverage, the ICN said it would require a significant investment in all areas of nursing; the report suggested a ratio of 70 nurses for every 10,000 population in a country would be needed.
The ICN stressed that investing in safe care saved money and lives by avoiding adverse incidents in hospitals, for example.
It added that allowing nurses to work “to the full scope of practice” would improve the efficiency of health systems.
The report issued a series of recommendations about long-term investments in health, with ICN chief executive Howard Catton claiming that too many world leaders were currently focused on short-term solutions to the issues facing their health system.
These short-term solutions, Mr Catton said, include creating non-registered nurse roles, reducing the length of nurse education and international recruitment.
Mr Catton described these as the “wrong choices” and suggested that they would just push the problem back, not solve it.
“[These take] us in the wrong direction, and seriously risk putting people off joining the profession and seeing more of our experienced nurses quit or leave earlier than they would have done,” said Mr Catton.
He added: “In its work with international organisations, such as the World Economic Forum, the ICN has seen a growing recognition that investment in nursing is an accelerator not a brake on economic growth, and a priceless investment for global health.”
Howard Catton
Mr Catton’s organisation issued four core recommendations for long-term improvements to health in the report, in the hope world leaders move away from short-term solutions.
The first recommendation was to create “decent” nursing jobs to “contribute to societal good”.
The ICN said governments must allocate resources and funding to develop “quality nursing positions”, with fair wages and safe working conditions which have clear pathways for development and career progression, as well as respect in a given country’s health sector.
The second core recommendation surrounded building the health workforce, ensuring that there are safe staffing levels. It asked governments to make sure nurses have the skills and competencies to deliver high-quality care.
Alongside attracting people into the profession, the ICN said retention was key to achieving universal health coverage and improving the quality of health systems.
The report called for improvements to nursing education, including ongoing professional development, as well as improving the wellbeing of nurses through a “supportive work environment” in which staff, as well as patient, health is protected.
Thirdly, the ICN recommended “optimising” the use of resources in a health system, in order to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of it. To this end, the report said nurses must be supported with the right technology, protective clothing and medical devices.
The fourth recommendation was to invest in health “for economic and social prosperity”, the underlying theme of International Nurses Day 2024.
As well as these core recommendations, the ICN reiterated a demand to ensure the safety of nurses and other healthcare workers in warzones, humanitarian crisis areas and other “high-pressure” environments.
The report further asked world governments to pay “special attention” to healthcare in underserved areas, to “harness” nurses to improve health promotion and prevention and to promote the role of nurses in society.
These investments in nursing, the ICN said, would save lives and lead to “high returns” for a country’s economy and society.
The report said: “Taking action on these recommendations enables nurses to strengthen health care systems, drive economic growth, contribute to world peace, and enhance the health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.
“The time to act is now. Let us invest in nursing and, by extension, in the health and prosperity of our global community.”
Dr Pamela Cipriano, ICN president, added, in a foreword to the report: “The global nursing shortage is holding the world back, not just in terms of health for all, but wealth for all.
“What is needed is for governments to see the bigger picture, invest in nursing and reap the rewards that will surely follow.
“I would urge all nurses to use this report to increase their influence on policymakers, employers and politicians so that everyone can benefit from the power of nurses and the economic returns that will ensue.”