A recent report by the state-run Donyaye Eghtesad, published on October 23, has shed light on the challenges that Iranian hospitals are facing, especially the severe shortage of tens of thousands of nurses. This report describes the situation as an “emergency,” pointing out the dire condition of patients, especially those in critical states. The situation is worsened by mandatory overtime work for nurses. The influx of less-experienced healthcare personnel and the growing trend of nurse migration present additional challenges. Reports from nursing unions reveal that every year, due to retirement, resignations, or emigration, the number of nurses continues to dwindle. Some sources suggest that around 3,000 nurses emigrate from the country annually. These challenging conditions have forced many Iranian nurses to seek immigration. Official statistics indicate that between 1,200 and 1,500 nurses leave Iran for other countries each year. Overall, the shortage of nurses significantly jeopardizes the lives of patients. It is a concerning situation, as the shortage of nurses in Iranian hospitals is attributed to the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent unemployment of nurses as the virus abated. The consequences of this unemployment are not limited to the nurses themselves; it significantly undermines the quality of patient care. The hardships faced by Iranian nurses are further exacerbated by mandatory overtime. These dedicated healthcare professionals are required to work 130 hours per month, which includes a compulsory 150-hour overtime. The added workload effectively compels nurses to perform the duties of an additional staff member. In August of this year, Mohammad Sharifi Moghadam, the executive secretary of the Nursing House, emphasized the dire situation. Grappling with a shortage of nurses, hospitals resort to enforcing overtime, offering meager compensation, typically ranging from 16,000 to 20,000 tomans per hour in state-run facilities. Sharifi Moghadam underlined that the Ministry of Health’s reluctance to hire permanent staff over the past two years, coupled with nursing graduates opting against contractual work due to low wages, has left hospitals with no alternative but to overburden their existing staff. Given these challenging conditions, Iranian nurses frequently explore alternative careers, ranging from construction work and ridesharing to bus driving and bakery positions.
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