Part-time employment in Jordan as a nursing policy solution

Area of Science:

• Nursing workforce management
• Healthcare employment policies
• Socioeconomic factors in healthcare

Background:

• Rising unemployment among Jordanian nurses necessitates novel policy responses.
• Limited literature addresses policy interventions for nursing labor market surpluses.
• Addressing nurse unemployment is crucial for Jordan's healthcare sector.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the feasibility of a part-time nursing work option in Jordan.
• To assess perceptions of working nurses and nursing students regarding part-time roles.
• To examine the influence of social and cultural factors on this employment strategy.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study design.
• Perceptions measured via a specifically developed questionnaire.
• Involved both practicing nurses (n=51) and nursing students (n=56).

Main Results:

• Strong support from both nurses and students for a part-time work option.
• Students showed greater willingness for part-time work, hourly pay, and encouraging colleagues.
• Participants proposed various alternative solutions for employment flexibility.

Conclusions:

• Findings provide foundational data for assessing the viability of part-time nursing roles in Jordan.
• Current and future nurses exhibit optimism towards this employment model.
• Results can inform policy development for diversifying nursing employment models globally, especially in response to nurse surpluses and gender imbalances.