Intent to migrate among nursing students in Uganda: Measures of the brain drain in the next generation of health professionals
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Date
2008
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
2008
Abstract
There is significant concern about the worldwide migration of nursing professionals
from low-income countries to rich ones, as nurses are lured to fill the large number of vacancies
in upper-income countries. This study explores the views of nursing students in Uganda to assess
their views on practice options and their intentions to migrate.
Methods: Anonymous questionnaires were distributed to nursing students at the Makerere
Nursing School and Aga Khan University Nursing School in Kampala, Uganda, during July 2006,
using convenience sampling methods, with 139 participants. Two focus groups were also conducted
at one university.
Results: Most (70%) of the participants would like to work outside Uganda, and said it was likely
that within five years they would be working in the U.S. (59%) or the U.K. (49%). About a fourth
(27%) said they could be working in another African country. Only eight percent of all students
reported an unlikelihood to migrate within five years of training completion. Survey respondents
were more dissatisfied with financial remuneration than with any other factor pushing them
towards emigration. Those wanting to work in the settings of urban, private, or U.K./U.S. practices
were less likely to express a sense of professional obligation and/or loyalty to country. Those who
have lived in rural areas were less likely to report wanting to emigrate. Students with a desire to
work in urban areas or private practice were more likely to report an intent to emigrate for
financial reasons or in pursuit of country stability, while students wanting to work in rural areas or
public practice were less likely to want to emigrate overall.
Conclusion: Improving remuneration for nurses is the top priority policy change sought by
nursing students in our study. Nursing schools may want to recruit students desiring work in rural
areas or public practice to lead to a more stable workforce in Uganda.
Description
Keywords
Migrate, Nursing students, Uganda, Brain drain, Health professionals
Citation
Nguyen, L., Ropers, S., Nderitu, E., Zuyderduin, A., Luboga, S., & Hagopian, A. (2008). Intent to migrate among nursing students in Uganda: measures of the brain drain in the next generation of health professionals. Human Resources for Health, 6(1), 1-11. doi:10.1186/1478-4491-6-5