Page 62 - Nursing Education in Malaysia

NursiNg EducatioN iN Malaysia

The Malaysian Academy of Nursing is seen as the NERVE-CENTRE for a significant
number of professional activities including the request for a Clinical Ladder Scheme for
degree nurses, the establishment of the Nursing Council, creation of nursing database,
strengthening research initiatives, and leadership in heightening visibility of nursing through
its active efforts in political, professional and financial issues affecting healthcare and
nursing profession. Hence, its establishment is to be regarded as the MOST IMPORTANT
event in Nursing Agenda towards 2020. Accordingly, the choice of its members to lead in
its development must be based on their vision, maturity and intellectual presence.

It is envisioned that the intake of STPM/Matriculation students into nursing will
revolutionize nursing as a profession in Malaysia. There is a steady rise in the choices
made by these students to make nursing as their first choice. In UKM for example,
st
evidents has shown that male students with 4.00 CGPA have chosen nursing as their first
choice. There is also evidence to show that these nursing students are “communicating”
with medical students in the clinical setting, possibly because they were, at one time,
classmates in STPM/Matriculation program. These same students are put together as part
of interprofessional learning in research projects and primary care activities. They are also
sharing the same nursing skills lab and faculty computer lab. The synergistic effect of
putting the two types of students together will go far beyond social interaction.

This development is encouraging. There is hope yet for collaborative problem solving
and decision making for both nursing and medicine. Unfortunately, on graduation, the
graduates of the four-year Bachelor of Nursing, with the exception of Department of Public
Service (DPS) scholars, are offered position as Staff Nurses with diploma salary of U29.
The current scenario shows a gradual trend of migration of degree nurses to Singapore.
UNIMAS and UKM have participated in making this trend a reality. Visionary leadership
can stop this exodus and nip the problem in the bud. This trend must not be allowed to
proliferate if the 60:40 ratio of professional and diploma target is to materialize.

Indeed Nursing is not short of opportunities to develop and needs to fulfill. But these
needs cannot be fulfilled until nurses, particularly those in leadership positions by changing
what they are. For them to change what they are, they must change the way they think, the
way they feel and the way they act.

Prepared by:
Task Force Committee for Nursing Education
Department of Higher Education
Ministry of Higher Education Malaysia

11 October, 2010
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