As the wave of migration among healthcare personnel in the country accelerates, the Secretary-General of the Iranian Nurses House has reported that the shortage of nurses in hospitals is being compensated for with 'mandatory overtime' at 16,000 tomans per hour. Mohammad Sharifi-Moghadam, Secretary-General of the Iranian Nurses House, cited the Ministry of Health's opposition to 'hiring official staff' over the past two years as one of the reasons for the nursing shortage in hospitals, stating to the ILNA news agency that hospitals are forced to rely on 'contractual and corporate staff' to meet their workforce needs. According to this union official, many nursing graduates are 'unwilling to work' due to the low wages of informal contracts, and hospitals are 'exploiting' the existing workforce by requiring 'mandatory overtime' at rates of 16,000 to 20,000 tomans per hour. Abbas Abadi, Deputy for Nursing at the Ministry of Health and Medical Education, reported on December 9, 2022, a severe shortage of nurses, stating that the country needs '100,000 nurses.' The Secretary-General of the Iranian Nurses House emphasized that the 'standard number of staff' is crucial for providing 'proper services,' noting that according to minimum standards, there should be 'at least 3 nurses for every 1,000 people,' whereas currently, there are only 2, indicating that 'we have not yet reached the minimum standard.' The issue of 'nurse shortages' in Iran, which has become more apparent with the 'increase in migration,' is occurring at a time when, according to Mohammad Mirza Beigi, head of the Nursing System Organization, '17,000 healthcare personnel,' including '12,000 nurses,' were not only not hired despite promises of employment after the COVID-19 pandemic subsided but also became unemployed. An unusual result from a survey indicated that only 16% of participants stated they do not intend to migrate. Despite having 20,000 to 30,000 unemployed nurses, the alarm for nurse shortages has sounded again in Iran. The 'migration tsunami' has reached 'specialists' in the Iranian medical community, with a shortage of 70,000 nursing personnel. As the migration of nurses continues, government policies are exacerbating 'division.'
Addressing Nurse Shortages in Hospitals with 'Mandatory Overtime' at 16,000 Tomans per Hour!
Iran is facing a severe nursing shortage exacerbated by the migration of healthcare workers and government policies that hinder hiring. Hospitals are resorting to mandatory overtime at low pay to fill gaps, leading to dissatisfaction among nursing graduates. This situation highlights systemic issues in Iran's healthcare system and the urgent need for reform.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Iran is facing a significant nursing shortage, prompting hospitals to implement mandatory overtime for existing staff at low pay. This situation is exacerbated by government policies that restrict hiring and a wave of migration among healthcare workers.
- The country needs 100,000 additional nurses to meet healthcare standards.
- Despite having 20,000 to 30,000 unemployed nurses, many are unwilling to work due to low wages and poor working conditions.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Iran's healthcare system has been struggling with staffing issues, particularly in nursing, which has worsened due to migration and inadequate government support. The country faces a critical need for reform to address these challenges.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
Translated from the original and edited for English readers. View original source →
Translation confidence: 85%