Facing a drainage of talent and a global shortage of nurses, local medical universities are working to cultivate staff of an international standard and to attract students from other countries.

Following a long-term neglect of nursing staff, the health authority has realized the urgency to solve the shortage and improve the quality of local nurses, most of whom only study at vocational schools.

The proactive approach is to introduce the most advanced nursing concepts and teaching modules to train qualified nurses, officials said.

To achieve the goal, Shanghai Second Medical University launched an international college for nursing eight years ago, cooperating with universities in the United States, Finland, Australia and Britain to introduce lecturers and teaching methods.

Its teaching quality has reached a stage where 80 percent of the 44 graduates passed the NCLEX-RN, or National Council for Licensure Examination for Registered Nurses. The qualification is mandatory for nurses in the United States.

"It is in line with the (academic) majors in the United States, where the success rate is 75 to 80 percent," said Wu Xiangqian, vice director of the college. "The average pass rate for foreigners trained in the US is only 35 percent."

"The exam is difficult, because it doesn't test book knowledge but the ability to use what has been taught and a critical thinking skill," said Mary Lamb, a guest teacher from the US-based Bob Jones University.

When the local university is satisfied with their achievement, most of those who pass stay in the United States while the rest work in joint venture hospitals in the city.

At present, America is drawing talent by its high salaries on offer. A shortage of 700,000 nurses is expected in the country by 2010.

In Shanghai, there are 37,100 nurses and 73,100 beds. The present shortage is about 7,000 nurses, and the total demand for nurses in 15 years is 63,000.

University President Shen Xiaoming said the university was worried as it had foreseen the situation.

"Working abroad and joint ventures give students more experience.

He said the cost for nursing training in China was generally about one-tenth of that of in the United States.

(Shanghai Daily April 3, 2004)