From Recruitment To Retention: Strategies To Grow Malaysia’s Nursing Workforce

Like many of its neighbours in Asia, Malaysia is similarly facing a shortage of nurses, with the country’s health ministry estimating the gap at around 8,000 nurses over 2023 and 2024.

The country’s pool of registered nurses has in fact grown steadily over the years, from around 102,000 in 2016 to over 115,000 in 2022. Yet the growth may not yet be enough to match the simultaneous rise in demand, which is only set to intensify with an ageing population and rising incidence of chronic diseases.

Already, recruitment of Malaysian nurses is highly competitive, not just between local healthcare providers but also between providers around the region, said Ms Ng Ching See, Director, Nursing Services, Subang Jaya Medical Centre (SJMC).

“There are more than 200 private hospitals in Malaysia, and many new ones are coming up. Competition for nurses is thus very high, especially in the Klang Valley (the urban conglomeration centred around Kuala Lumpur) where we are located. At the same time, Malaysian nurses are also in demand overseas due to their competencies and skills, and this demand is rising as countries including Singapore expand their healthcare capacity.”

Raising the attractiveness of nursing as a profession

The COVID pandemic was a major factor in this issue. Besides driving away some nurses from the profession altogether, the pandemic dissuaded students from pursuing the field, leading to a decreased number of nursing graduates over the past couple of years, pointed out Ms Ng.

To tackle this issue, SJMC has stepped up its efforts to attract more students to pursue nursing studies.

For many years, it has offered a full scholarship programme to high school graduates planning to enrol in nursing colleges, covering their full tuition fee, accommodation, and monthly allowance, as well as providing them job security upon graduation and the opportunity to work at a large private hospital with international recognition.

The programme was further expanded about two years ago, and now sponsors around 80 students per year, revealed Ms Ng. “We carefully select candidates who demonstrate a genuine passion in caring for people and possess a strong skillset required to excel in this field.”

Meanwhile, the hospital conducts outreach events targeting secondary and high school students, to share what goes behind a nursing role and the career opportunities available. It recently partnered the Cahaya Sin Chew publication on a nursing experience workshop, bringing 83 secondary school students to SJMC for a behind-the-scenes look at the working environment and responsibilities of nurses.

It is critical to reach out to the younger generation who may not know what nursing is about. They might have misconceptions that nursing is about hygiene care and administering injections, and might not be aware of the potential career paths in nursing, such as nursing specialist or administrator that allows nurses to develop strong leadership and management skills that are valuable in their career growth. These sharing sessions are a way for us to spread the word and encourage interest in the role,” said Ms Ng.

Developing support and advancement pathways

For those who eventually join SJMC’s nursing team, the hospital then focuses on providing a conducive environment that supports their growth and work experience.

This applies to both fresh nursing graduates as well as new recruits with experience under their belt.

For both groups, ‘there’s a lot of adaptation, to a new system, new group of colleagues and clinicians, and a new hospital culture,” noted Ms Ng.

One of her priorities is getting new recruits adjusted to the work environment and protocols at SJMC quickly. This would involve orientation and onboarding sessions, as well as a strong mentorship programme.

“It’s important to match the right mentor to the right mentee. We observe the new recruits during the orientation and their interactions with others, to help select the right mentor, whether based on working pace, personality or language. This enable personalized coaching and helps speed up the learning process and reduces the potential frustration on both sides,” she explained.

“We also have a training programme for mentors to empower them to become effective educators, ultimately improving patient education, staff training, and the overall quality of care. We look from the point of view of both the new recruits and the mentors to understand their challenges and support their efforts through the mentoring process.”

Then there is continued training and education to support the nurses’ career advancement. Nurses are encouraged to share their career aspirations right from day one – their interest in a certain specialty, for instance – which would guide their individual career plan with the organisation. They can then pursue the various training sessions available throughout the year that supports their goals. This commitment to supporting professional growth strengthens nurse engagement and retention as well.

Leveraging technologies to reduce nursing workload

Another pillar in tackling nursing shortage lies in the adoption of relevant technology.

Nurses in SJMC are now equipped with tablets to easily access each patient’s medical record. Where they used to spend time moving to and fro a central location to do their documentation, they can now do so easily on the go.

The hospital is running a pilot trial of the use of barcode scanners to identify patients before administering medication, with the aim of improving medication safety and work efficiency.

These tools reduce nurses’ workload by providing them with real-time data and clinical guidance at the point of care, improving decision-making and reducing errors. Also, with less time spent on administrative tasks, nurses can dedicate more time to patient interaction, education, and emotional support, while also being able to embrace and learn in this digital healthcare era.

On a wider scale, the hospital’s Connected Care remote care ecosystem – introduced in 2023 – represents a significant step towards its goals of leveraging technology for better outcomes. The aim is to provide patients with easier and faster access to expert medical advice, beyond hospital walls.

Under Connected Care, the TeleConnect service will see SJMC nurses and medical officers stationed to provide consultations over phone or video calls. For SeniorConnect, elderly patients are provided with remote monitoring devices, with their vital signs closely tracked by nurses and healthcare professionals. This ensures the right medical help is sent if their vital signs exceed pre-set parameters.

Besides delivering better patient experience and convenience, these technologies also help optimise the hospital’s nursing resources. A nurse can look after multiple patients remotely, with the help of AI and monitoring devices, revealed Ms Ng.

Next, the hospital is looking at extending remote monitoring services to inpatients whose conditions are stable enough to be discharged, but still require close monitoring. This would reduce the length of stay and allow them to recover in the comforts of their homes.

Source: Hospital Management Asia