The International Nurses Day is celebrated on May 12 every year to mark nurse’s contribution to society. In Nepal, we often get to hear that nurses aren’t paid well and are thus generally vying to go abroad. ApEx spoke to three nurses to find out where they think the problem lies and what can be done to secure their future in their own country.
Rachana Suwal, 35
In Nepal, nurses face numerous struggles, including low salaries, long working hours, inadequate benefits, and limited career growth opportunities. The challenges are even worse in public hospitals, where understaffing forces nurses to work long shifts without proper compensation. Most nurses in Nepal are underpaid.There is no proper overtime pay and many hospitals don’t follow labor laws regarding overtime, leave, and bonuses. Countries like the USA, UK, Australia, and Gulf nations offer five to ten times higher salaries than Nepal. There, nurses get better facilities, structured shifts, and professional growth opportunities too. Nepal lacks specialization opportunities, while foreign countries provide advanced training and promotions. Nepal must value nurses as essential healthcare pillars. Better pay, working conditions, and career opportunities can stop the brain drain and strengthen Nepal’s healthcare system. Otherwise, the exodus of skilled nurses will continue, harming the nation’s medical services.
Rabina Kawan, 35
Nurses in Nepal face several struggles in their profession, including issues of payment, understaffing, and an imbalanced patient-to-staff ratio, leading to shift duty challenges and excessive workload. Many are forced to work long hours, especially during night shifts, in unsafe environments. Despite holding bachelor’s degrees in nursing, many nurses are undervalued and underpaid, often treated as volunteers or dominated by other professionals in healthcare settings. Inappropriate job placements that don’t match their qualifications or experience further demotivate them. To address these issues, the government must develop and implement better policies that include fair salary scales, job security, paid benefits, and opportunities for professional growth. Eliminating unpaid volunteer roles, ensuring appropriate staffing, and involving nurses in policy-making and leadership decisions are essential. Creating a positive image of the nursing profession through recognition, appropriate appraisal, and specialization opportunities in areas like ICU, OT, and cardiology can help retain talent. Celebrating nursing contributions and ensuring dignity and respect for their work are key to uplifting the profession in Nepal.
Jamuna Kafle, 38
I have been working in this field for 12 years and I believe I have been doing great at my institution. Many nurses at different hospitals complain about low salaries though they work hard, oftentimes clocking in long hours. Nursing is a job that isn’t valued properly by people and patients too, with most just looking to point out our mistakes. It’s the same everywhere and that can be disheartening. Students pay a lot to study nursing but in the end they don’t get good jobs and are forced to go abroad for better opportunities. I think the government rules on salary structure and working hours also need to be implemented in the private sector. Most private hospitals pay nurses very little and it’s not enough for them to look after their families. I believe low salary is one of the main reasons why nurses choose to go abroad.
