Challenges Facing the Nursing Profession in Saudi Arabia: An Integrative Review

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Nursing Workforce
• Human Resources in Healthcare

Background:

• Limited recent literature addresses nursing profession challenges in Saudi Arabia.
• Expatriate nurses are increasingly recruited due to a shortage of national nurses.
• Existing challenges impact both national and expatriate nursing staff.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and highlight current challenges within the nursing profession in Saudi Arabia.
• To propose recommendations for future improvements in the nursing sector.
• To provide an updated perspective on nursing workforce issues in the region.

Main Methods:

• An integrative review of literature published between 2000 and 2020.
• Analysis of multiple sources relevant to nursing challenges in Saudi Arabia.
• Synthesis of findings to identify key issues and propose solutions.

Main Results:

• Inadequate numbers of Saudi nurses necessitate expatriate recruitment, leading to retention and competency issues (language, cultural adaptation).
• High workloads and job dissatisfaction contribute to attrition among expatriate nurses.
• National nurses face recruitment and retention challenges, influenced by cultural factors and the need to improve nursing's image, education, and work environment.

Conclusions:

• Effective recruitment processes, enhanced education, and organizational changes are needed for expatriate nurses.
• Improving the image of nursing, education, and work environments is vital for national nurse recruitment and retention.
• Strong leadership is essential to manage nursing workforce challenges and enhance job satisfaction and retention in Saudi Arabia.