A Descriptive Study on Nurse Brain Drain

Abstract

This study was conducted to understand the human capital losses of nurse migration and the push and pull factors that drive students to enroll in the B.S. Nursing program. The researcher utilized survey questionnaires and in-depth interviews to graduating nursing students of the University of the Philippines and tlie Our Lady of Fatima University, Valenzuela to deteimine the socio-economic reasons that motivated them to pursue a nursing career. The results reveal that students are persuaded to take up the nursing program to be able to work abroad where there is higher remuneration to help alleviate domestic financial problems. Moreover, the study cited poor work compensations, political and economic instability and influence of family members as push factors in nurse migration. The researcher likewise discussed the alarming number of nurses migrating to developed countries, contributing to the deterioration of nursing education in the country. This is in view of the exponentially increasing number of nursing schools being opened while an increasing number of skilled nurses are taking flight. Nurse migration likewise poses questions in the shortage of skilled health personnel and in the quality of nursing care being rendered. The study recommends stronger implementation of policies and legislation, the creation of a national health service act and a health human resource registry, and the strengthening of bilateral agreements with developing countries recruiting Filipino nurses to manage the brain drain phenomena.