The nursing workforce in Kuwait to the year 2020.
BACKGROUND
The study addresses the supply and demand for nurses in Kuwait in the light of emerging variables such as increasing population, economic growth, changes in healthcare strategies and expansion of healthcare facilities.


OBJECTIVE
To project the future demand for nurses in Kuwait for the years 2007-2020 based on the period 1994-2006.


METHODS
Population projections were derived using the average annual natural increase rate of the 1994-2006 populations. The future demand for nurses was projected using the average nurse to population ratios for the years 1994-2006.


RESULTS
The number of Kuwaiti indigenous nurses is declining at an average decrement rate of 3.3% per annum. There is a gap between the numbers of native and migrant nurses, which will be wider with time. In 2006, native nurses constituted only 6.6% of the nursing workforce; this affects the quality of provided health care owing to language, religions and socio-cultural barriers between foreign nurses and patients.


CONCLUSIONS
The supply of indigenous nurses in Kuwait should be increased in order to deliver effective nursing care with shared culture and language in the modern healthcare system of Kuwait. This can be achieved through an improvement in recruitment and retention of indigenous nurses and nursing students.
Al-Jarallah
K F
KF
Kuwait Institute for Medical Specialization (KIMS), Kuwait, Kuwait.
Moussa
M A A
MA
Hakeem
S K
SK
Al-Khanfar
F K
FK
D004507:Education, Nursing, Associate; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate; D004511:Education, Nursing, Graduate; D005544:Forecasting; D005551:Foreign Professional Personnel / Q000600:supply & distribution*; D006287:Health Planning Guidelines; D006801:Humans; D007730:Kuwait; D016294:Models, Nursing; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration; D020380:Needs Assessment / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D009728:Nursing Assistants / Q000193:education / Q000600:supply & distribution; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000600:supply & distribution* / Q000639:trends*; D009743:Nursing, Practical / Q000193:education; D010560:Personnel Selection / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010561:Personnel Staffing and Scheduling / Q000458:organization & administration*; D010563:Personnel Turnover / Q000639:trends; D011158:Population Growth; D012111:Residence Characteristics; D012956:Societies, Nursing / Q000458:organization & administration; D000078329:Workforce