Unit5_Nurse Migration

 

Today even the Philippines feels the effects of the nursing shortage, with nurses continuing to migrate abroad while positions at home go unfilled.

What does "shortage" mean?

• point of view

• rapid spread of a disease

• a position or job that needs to be filled

• a lack of something

Because the underlying causes are complex and vary in different regions, a simple short-term fix will not remedy the situation.

What does "complex" mean?

• a lack of something

• to come from, originate

• not simple

• main, most important

  to attract

There are more nurses today than at any time in history, yet a global nursing shortage threatens to cripple health care systems worldwide.

What does "cripple" mean?

• to keep

• to gradually go lower, become smaller

• to cause serious damage; weaken

• to come from, originate

 

In developing nations-particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and Latin America-a major reason for the shortage is nurse migration to developed countries in Europe and North America as well as Australia to help vacancies there .

What does "vacancies" mean?

• period of ten years

• a position or job that needs to be filled

• point of view

• a lack of something

The Philippines have for years trained many more nurses than the country needs, with thousands working abroad and sending money to relatives back home (near­ ing $1 billion annually).

What does "abroad" mean?

• in a foreign country

• the largest part

• spreading out of control

• the largest part

From that standpoint, migration of nurses from poorer to wealthier countries would appear to benefit all involved.

What does "standpoint" mean?

• point of view

• not simple

• rapid spread of a disease

• a lack of something

Lured by the higher salaries and better quality of life available in wealthier countries, nurses from developing countries frequently leave behind already overburdened health care systems, where nurses are often the primary caregivers because doctors too  are in short supply.

What does "primary" mean?

• to gradually go lower, become smaller

• main, most important

• skilled, able to do a job

• basic, not well developed

Lured by the higher salaries and better quality of life available in wealthier countries, nurses from developing countries frequently leave behind already overburdened health care systems, where nurses are often the primary caregivers because doctors too  are in short supply.

What does "lured" mean?

• to gradually go lower, become smaller

• to come from, originate

• to attract

• to cause serious damage; weaken

 

Lured by the higher salaries and better quality of life available in wealthier countries, nurses from developing countries frequently leave behind already overburdened health care systems, where nurses are often the primary caregivers because doctors too  are in short supply.

What does "supply" mean?

• the largest part

• rapid spread of a disease

• a position or job that needs to be filled

• the total amount available

Conditions then deteriorate further as the nurse-to-population ratio declines, a number that is estimated to be ten times higher in European than in African countries.

What does "decline" mean?

• to guess based on information

• to come from, originate

• to cause serious damage; weaken

• to gradually go lower, become smaller