Nurses’ reluctance to be formally employed
Exclusive Report for Salamat News by Esmaeil Shariati, Nursing Union Activist
The recent statement by the Deputy Minister of Nursing at the Ministry of Health—acknowledging a shortage of more than 100,000 nurses in Iran—reveals the depth of a serious crisis in the country’s healthcare system. Yet, the recruitment examinations currently being held neither reflect the scale of this shortage nor provide an effective solution. Even more concerning, in many provinces including Tehran, the limited quotas offered were left partially unfilled as nurses showed little interest in applying.
This paradox, where the official quotas fail to meet demand while nurses remain unwilling to fill even these few vacancies, reflects the severity of the nursing crisis. As Shariati notes, this situation should raise an urgent question for policymakers: why are nurses reluctant to participate in recruitment exams, and what factors have driven their lack of motivation?
Root Causes of Discontent
The core problem, Shariati argues, lies in the failure to properly implement the Nursing Service Tariff Law and the significant pay gap between nurses and other medical professionals. This inequality has generated widespread dissatisfaction within the nursing community. The result is resignations, migration abroad, and disinterest in permanent government employment.
“If no serious steps are taken to improve nurses’ financial and professional conditions, the future will bring far greater challenges not only for the nursing sector but for the entire healthcare system,” Shariati warns.
Silencing Critics Instead of Listening
Equally troubling, he says, is the pressure placed on those who voice criticism in cities such as Mashhad, Gilan, and Shahroud.
“If critics of these conditions are silenced and forced into defensive positions, while their rightful demands go unheard, the situation will only become more difficult. What we need now, more than ever, is realism, open dialogue, and collective cooperation to address problems—not restrictions on those who speak up.”
For Shariati, the ultimate goal remains the same: providing better health services for the Iranian people. Achieving this, however, is only possible through accepting criticism and making structural reforms.
Nursing as a Pillar of Healthcare
Nursing is one of the most vital pillars of Iran’s healthcare system. Continued neglect and lack of planning, Shariati cautions, will quickly push patient care into crisis. He calls on policymakers to:
- Support competent and young managers to strengthen nurse retention.
- Provide acceptable financial and welfare conditions to motivate the current workforce.
- Create conditions for the return of nurses who have emigrated abroad.
Shariati concludes: “The state must recognize nursing as a strategic, governance-level profession requiring proper planning, job security, and professional respect. Only then can nursing services in Iran remain sustainable, effective, and of high quality.”
