Investment in Nursing is Critical for the Health of the World: We Need 6 Million Additional Nurses

Abstract

There is no doubt that nursing has made great strides in recent years, and nurses have more than proved their worth and commitment during the recent COVID-19 pandemic. However, the profession is under threat and it is doubtful if nurses can help meet the Sustainable Development Goals without substantial government investment. The 2020 State of the World’s Nursing report by the World Health Organization evidenced that, by 2030, there will be a critical global shortage of 5.7 million nurses. Many nurses are burnt out and exhausted by their work, and the threat of greater attrition is real because of the pandemic. There are vast inequities in the numbers of nurses in various regions of the world, especially in low-and middle-income countries. Major investment in nursing by governments needs to occur to enable millions more nurses to graduate and to ensure positions for them are established and sustained. It is clear that nurses around the world need to collaborate and work closely across borders and regions to gather evidence about the profession to inform policy and investment decisions. Nursing leaders and educators have key roles to play to help overcome nursing shortages.