LONG WORKING HOURS IN SAUDI ARABIA.

Running head: LONG WORKING HOURS IN SAUDI ARABIA
LONG WORKING HOURS IN SAUDI ARABIA
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1LONG WORKING HOURS IN SAUDI ARABIA
Introduction:
The ministry of health (MOH) in Saudi Arabia has full intension and dedication of
providing free healthcare services that is segregated into four levels of care including primary,
secondary and tertiary (Alsaqri 2014). In Saudi Arabia, the government plays a significant role,
for the purpose of providing several health services. Due to the commitment of the government
to the state people, the healthcare industry is constantly ensuring their service is adequate for the
people. It cannot be denied that the healthcare industry is not under the pressure of providing
best services since the ministry of health is determined to provide the best. Several challenges are
faced by the healthcare industry. Various challenges and obstacles constantly make the industry
go through issues such as financial, ethical and certainly the healthcare related. The nursing
workforce is one of the major support that the healthcare industry is built on. It is important that
the nursing workforce is taken vital care in order to ensure smooth function of the industry.
Regardless of the negative factors associated with the nursing working environment, they have
been providing the best of service. One of the current nursing practice issue identified with the
nursing workforce in Saudi Arabia is the long working hours. Long working hours can become a
risk factor in many ways for nurses. The paper aims to discuss the way long working hours is an
issue for nurses in Saudi Arabia. Although providing the best healthcare is a priority of the
nation, it is important that the service providers are looked after by the government as well.
Discussion:
Saudi Arabia and the working hours:
In a healthcare system, nurses are the nucleus, without them it is hard for the cell to
survive. They represent a powerful force that brings about the change required in order to meet

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the needs of health for all the people (You et al. 2013). Although doctors are the primary factors,
it is a universal fact that nurses play the central role in delivering health care. Nurses’ role ranges
from the admission of the patient till the discharge. Advocating for health promotion, educating
patients and the public on the prevention of illness and injury are the roles of nurses
(Kemppainen, Tossavainen and Turunen 2013). Also, they participate in rehabilitation, provide
care and assistance in the process of cure and lastly provide support to the family members and
the relatives. There is no other health care professional with a role such as nurse that consists of
vast and far reaching area of work and knowledge.
Regardless of the fact that there is a major significance of the nurses in the healthcare
setting and it is the largest provider group, healthcare organizers face severe shortage of nurses
who are appropriately qualified (Lamadah and Sayed 2014). Along with several challenges in the
healthcare workforce for nurses, the long hours are one of the crucial system challenge that are
faced by the nurses. It is one of the cause that is cited as major deterrents to uptake nursing by
Saudi Arabia. nurses in Saudi Arabia is contracted to work a 44 hour week in certain hospitals,
however it is the unsaid rule of the working hours is likely to be more than what is mentioned.
Also, if a nurse work in-patient then the nurse may work 22 12 hours shifts in a period of 6 week.
Some hospitals have 3 weeks of days and three weeks of nights. The time mentioned here are
only minimal and it is only expected to be more and not less.
Causes of long working hours:
The major cause of long working hours for the nurses in Saudi Arabia is the shortages of
nurses in the nation. The inadequate numbers of national nurses suddenly increase and then it
loses good number of qualified nurses. Saudi Arabia loses the nurses of its country one they gain
experience. The qualified nurses prefer to move out to the more developed countries in order to

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find greater opportunities. Saudi Arabia is a state that has most of its nurses from the other
nations. Saudi Arabia has majority of male as well as female nurses coming from overseas who
work in the public hospitals (Aboshaiqah 2016). The expatriate nurses tend to be in Saudi Arabia
on a temporary basis. Many expatriate nurses in the nation have been found encountering issues
with the language. Several nurses found themselves lacing the competences in the English
language as well as the familiarity with the Arabic language. Therefore, language and the
communication gap is a major problem that causes the nurses in Saudi Arabia leave the nation
(Almutairi, McCarthy and Gardner 2015).
The reasons for the long shift of the nurses are linked indirectly to the other causes. The
prime cause of increasing working hours of the nurses is the shortage of nurses. Therefore,
looking at the causes for the shortage of nurses are the indirect reasons that causes dragging long
hours for the sustained nurses in the healthcare industry. There are several challenges faced by
the workers in the nursing profession. One of the reason for the lack of sufficient nurses in the
Saudi Arabia is the educational challenges. There is an increased demand for nursing education
and services. According to various researchers, the pattern of education has restricted the process
that lets nurses gain nursing professionalism. The notion that nursing is not a real profession has
created medical students from attempting nursing as a profession. For decades, the nursing
profession in Saudi Arabia has been offering only diploma and associate degree program
managed by the Ministry of health or the BSN programs which is managed by Ministry of
Higher Education (Althubaiti and Alkhazim 2014). There is a need for improvement in the
courses offered by Saudi Arabia. Nursing is a hospital based education and it is the experience of
the interns, trainees, staff nurses or senior nurses that influence the decision of staying or leaving
the profession. Saudi Arabia has a tough work environment compared to the other developed