Experiences from Southeast Asia on nursing education, practice, mobility and influencing policy

Abstract

In this report from the field, we describe the challenges and opportunities for nursing practice and education, and ways to improve nurse mobility across Asia. We also explain the collaboration within the Southeast and East Asian Nursing Education and Research Network to influence policy development and review. The collaborative process was supported by evidence drawn from discussions at Network meetings, and with nursing and other leaders, an examination of literature and policy documents, and member surveys. We reviewed the region’s regulatory statutes which all support diversity in the nursing workforce. The Southeast Asian Nursing Education and Research Network was established in 2015 to support policy development around the upgrading of nurse education, clinical competencies and research capacity, in hospital and primary health care; and facilitating the movement of nurses across national boundaries. Most countries have tried to address policy gaps and their efforts to implement changes are seen in policy expansion and development at the national level. We focus on two policies from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations from 2006 and 2012, that cover nurse mobility, information exchange, nurse capacity building and education and mutual professional recognition of nurses’ credentials. However, we found significant variances in education, regulatory policies and clinical competencies that have restricted, and continue to restrict policy implementation. Nursing in South‐East Asia has made significant progress in upgrading standards for education by increasing bachelor degree bridging programs, master and doctoral degrees. Participating countries have passed legislation on licensure, competencies and credentialing of internationally qualified nurses wishing to practice in various contexts. However, much work remains to be done. Implications for nursing policy, education and practice Governing bodies determine entry into practice law which requires dialogue to enhance policies for domestic and international practitioners for mutual exchange and recognition. Nursing practice and education are under government regulatory bodies but require new policies and laws to ensure adequate educational requirements for safe quality practice.

Achieving Surgical, Obstetric, Trauma, and Anesthesia (SOTA) care for all in South Asia

“…The role of nurses and midwives in improving access to quality services, especially among the hard-to-reach populations, often goes unappreciated in global SOTA care discourse. South Asia faces a large burden of maternal mortality due to hemorrhage, eclampsia, obstructed labor, sepsis, and unsafe abortions among other reasons that can be prevented through timely access to cost-effective interventions ( 122 ). Scaling up well-trained nurses and midwives to ensure complete skilled birth attendance coverage is important.…”

Nursing workforce characteristics and effect on life expectancy and under‐five mortality in the ASEAN

“…The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) allows free flow of workers, including physicians and nurses. There is a considerable difference in the healthcare workforce within ASEAN, but generally, much of Southeast Asia will continue to confront difficulties in maintaining a sizable health workforce to meet the needs of an increasingly large population (Kunaviktikul et al., 2019). Numerous papers have explained the effect of the characteristics of the nursing workforce on nursing and patient outcomes, especially in LMICs.…”

The Impact of College Students’ Perceived Service Quality in the Context of Regional Integration of Education

“…Higher education plays a critical role in the regional economy, and the integration of regional higher education is an inevitable trend in many regions worldwide, including the European Union, Southeast Asia, the western United States (Kunaviktikul et al, 2019), and China (Cinkir et al, 2022; Masserini et al, 2019). Inter-regional university cooperation has emerged as an essential pathway for regional higher education integration in recent years, facilitated by government funds and policies (Quan et al, 2017).…”