National

“I Don’t Know If They’re Gonna Pull Nurses Out of A Hat”

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Who’s gonna fill that shoe? The popular Bahamian song is being used to describe the nursing shortage even as the government moves full throttle with plans for a new hospital.

Published

2 years ago

July 24, 2024

Joshua Williams

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – Who’s gonna fill that shoe? The popular Bahamian song is being used to describe the nursing shortage even as the government moves full throttle with plans for a new hospital.

The government’s plans to construct a new hospital seem to be well underway, but The Bahamas Nurses Union is concerned. Will there be enough nurses to staff the new facility?

The country’s nursing shortage has been well-documented over the years, and with the groundbreaking for the new hospital set for as early as next year, union President Muriel Lightbourn says she has her doubts.

Successive governments have tried various solutions over the years, including bringing in nurses from other Latin American countries. However, Lightbourn says these efforts have not always been entirely effective.