Irish nurses replaced by Indians as the former prefer to work abroad: INMO survey

A survey conducted by Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation (INMO) has revealed that 78% of nurses and midwives who are about to be qualified this year from the institutes in Ireland are planning to work abroad. However, 79% of the respondents also noted that they wish to stay in the Irish public health service for at least a year if offered guaranteed permanent contracts.

70% of student nurses had been approached by overseas recruitment companies, while only 30% were contacted by the Health Service Executive, the survey revealed. Half of the students who were approached by HSE choose to work in the private sector.

The INMO said the HSE is not incentivising nurses to stay in the Irish public healthcare sector.

The survey found that to entice nurses to stay the HSE needs to increase pay, improve staffing levels and working conditions, and providing access to post-graduate education.

The survey was put to 1,500 nursing and midwifery students who are on placements in Irish hospitals to find out where they planned to work when they qualify in September.

Meanwhile, it has been observed that the preference for overseas jobs by the Irish nurses over the opportunities within the country would benefit the qualified healthcare job seekers from India and other countries,