Few Female Nurses In Leadership Positions Globally – WHO

Report has it that while 90 percent of all nurses around the globe are women, few are found in senior health leadership positions.

The World Health Organization (WHO) in partnership with the International Council of Nurses (ICN) and Nursing Now, disclosed this in a report (The State of the World’s Nursing 2020) to commemorate the World Health Day.

The report also stated that the morale of those in the nursing profession should be boosted by their respective governments due to the services they render.

The report added that one of the ways to do so was by bringing nurses into top government positions.

“But when countries enable nurses to take a leadership role, for example by having a government chief nursing officer (or equivalent), and nursing leadership programmes, conditions for nurses improve.”

“This report places much-needed data and evidence behind calls to strengthen nursing leadership, advance nursing practice, and educate the nursing workforce for the future.”

It stated that though there were about 28 million nurses around the world, the number was still not enough for the health demands of countries.

Hence, it advised governments to fast track nursing education and create more nursing jobs, among others.

“Politicians understand the cost of educating and maintaining a professional nursing workforce, but only now are many of them recognizing their true value,” ICN President
, Annette Kennedy said.