ICN CEO Howard Catton warns of dire consequences if global demand for nurses continues to far outstrip supply

International Council of Nurses Chief Executive Officer Howard Catton has warned of dire consequences if the current burgeoning demand for health care and the nurses who will deliver it continue to outstrip the supply of registered nurses.

Speaking in Seoul at the celebrations for the 100th anniversary of the Korean Nurses Association (KNA), Mr Catton said the international community’s laudable goal of Universal Health Coverage would never be met if nations do not invest massively in health care, and specifically in nursing.

Mr Catton said: “Demographic changes resulting from ever-ageing populations and the rise in noncommunicable diseases means demand for health care, and nursing in particular, are far outstripping supply. Waiting times are increasing and for many people health care is either non-existent, inaccessible or too expensive.

‘Even in OECD countries, 57% of nurses and doctors are saying staffing levels are inadequate and workplaces are unsafe. You do not need to be a time-traveller to see what a disaster this could be in the future if we don’t invest heavily in nurses right now.

‘The truth is we should have learned the lessons of the past by now and be actively building a better future for ourselves and our children and grandchildren. We can only do that by investing in the one profession that has the biggest possible impact on all sorts of health outcomes.

‘Nurses are our future, and if you don’t believe me, try imagining a world without them. Investing heavily in nursing will bring immediate dividends now and for decades to come: growing the global nursing workforce is a simple answer to a very complex question. All it needs is the political will to commit the funds to make it happen, and the desire to watch the benefits of better healthcare come to fruition.”

During the celebrations, which also included the presence of World Health Organization Chief Nursing Officer Dr Amelia Latu Afuhaamango Tuipulotu, Mr Catton reiterated ICN’s continuing support for KNA’s campaign for the establishment of a Nursing Act in Korea, which will enshrine in law the independence of nursing as a profession in its own right.

Mr Catton said: “From the outset, ICN has committed to staying the course with our Korean nurse colleagues, because we know this is an essential piece of legislation that will ensure the proper recognition and advancement of the nursing profession, to the benefit of all patients, families and communities in South Korea.”

As part of its centennial anniversary celebrations, KNA presented ICN President Dr Pamela Cipriano and CEO Mr Catton with two Plaques of Appreciation with the citation “In Recognition and Sincere Appreciation for the Outstanding Leadership and Support for the Development and Advancement of Nursing in Korea. With great regard and gratitude. Yeong Kyeong Kim, RN, Ph.D, President, Korean Nursing Association, Republic of Korea”

Mr Catton accepted the plaque on behalf of ICN President Cipriano.