THE EFFECT OF BRAIN DRAIN ON HEALTHCARE DELIVERY AMONG NURSING PRACTITIONERS

1.1 Introduction

The term "brain drain" describes the mass exodus of medical professionals from underdeveloped nations to developed ones. It also comprises the transfer of information, experience, competence, and skill from one nation, region, or geographic area to another. Typically, brain drain is seen as an expense to the releasing nations' economies. This is due to the fact that migrants typically only bring a small portion of the value of the training they received under government or other organization sponsorship. It might be equated to capital flight which relates to the same movement of financial capital. This chapter will address the history that motivated this study, the challenges that prompted it, its aim, and its objectives as a preface to subsequent sections of the study. Additional factors include the study's significance, its scope, its limitations, research questions and hypotheses, and a definition of words.

1.2 Background of Study

Over the years, brain drain in the Nursing profession is a well-known phenomenon that impacts every sector of the economy in the country. Many crucial talents are being lost as a result of these incumbents leaving the medical industry, creating a void that is challenging to replace in the current critical and scarce skill market. Studies such as those conducted by Dougier and Marfouk (2006) and Uroh (2001) have shown that brain drain affects the country's socioeconomic and demographic conditions as well. Certain characteristics are more common among the groups of people who leave Nigeria due to the socioeconomic repercussions. Some of these characteristics show that certain age groups and vocations choose to emigrate in search of better opportunities (Abubakar, 2001). Important medical practitioners may end up leaving the nation as a result of this. If people want to depart, there are advantages for the nation as well. This might lead to more chances for jobless people to find work and for working people to receive skill-building opportunities.

Beginning from 1999, the President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration has also tried to satisfy its workforce (lecturers inclusive) in the country by introducing the Basic Salary Scheme which 25% has been implemented. But since the inception of the programme there has been instability and inconsistency of academic sessions in the University system in Nigeria. The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has embarked on different labour strikes due to the fact that the federal government has not been able to meet up with the increase in salaries. This is turn has endangered the University education and also the search for better educational career abroad by students, as well as greener pasture by lecturers.

More so, during the Abacha’s administration, attempts were made to improve the standard of living of the low income earners by stimulating appropriate economic activities in the various wards of each local government area in the country through the introduction of the Family Economic Advancement Programme (FEAP) in 1997. Despite the implementation of the programme, its impact was not quiet felt by the University system in the country. As such there was still a great deal of exodus of lecturers from institutions to other private organizations during this period.

Brain drain threatens University Educational System with total collapse because there is a growing difficulty in inducing brilliant and able students to come back to the system. This study intends to consider the effects of brain drain on the Nigerian University education and the nation’s economic development in general. Thus considering the factors affecting brain retention and their effects on University education is part of the focus of this research study.

According to UNESCO (2010), brain drain is the term used to describe the large exodus of people with technical knowledge or skills, usually as a result of risk concerns, political unrest, violence, or lack of opportunity. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, brain drain is the phenomenon when a significant number of highly trained and educated individuals leave their own nation to live and work in another where the salary and working circumstances are better. in the 1960s, scientists and technicians from post-European countries began migrating to North America, a phenomenon known as "Brain Drain" (Qadri, 2018).

Recently, it was reported that 5,405 Nigerian physicians and nurses with training are now employed by the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom. Nigerian physicians make up 3.9% of the 137,000 foreign employees of 202 different nations that work alongside British physicians and nurses, according to data given by the British government (Onyekwere & Egenuka, 2019). As a result, the lack of nurses in the nation has made it challenging for the nation to attain universal health care. Therefore, in Nigeria where the research was carried out, the activities that was conducted is to know the Impact of Brain Drain in the Nursing Profession on Patient Care.

1.3 Statement of Problems

Investigation revealed that the medical field has suffered significantly in recent years as a result of a steady outflow of its more experienced nurses. The result is that the medical business has suffered greatly.

Furthermore, it is difficult for any institution to expand and flourish without adequate trained medical professionals, which makes it difficult to achieve the highest levels of efficiency and effectiveness in public health and research. This problem has plagued Nigeria's medical sector. Consequently, this study seeks to assess Brain Drain in the Nursing Profession and it’s Impact on Patient Care in Owerri Metropolis.

1.4 Aim and Objectives of Study

The aim of the study is to investigate the Effect of Brain Drain on Healthcare Delivery among Nursing Practitioners in Owerri Metropolis. In achieving this aim, the following specific objectives were laid out as follows:

1. To identify the implication of the brain drain from the nursing profession on patient care in the research sector;
2. To determine the potential effects of nurse brain drain on national development;
3. To investigate the factors instigating the brain drain of medical professionals in the study area; and
4. To suggest and recommend, effective ways for reducing the continual Nursing profession brain drain in the region under consideration.

1.5 Research Questions

The study came up with research questions so as to be able to ascertain the above stated objectives. The specific research questions for the study are stated below as follows:

• What is the implication of the brain drain from the nursing profession on patient care in the research sector?
• What are the potential effects of nurse brain drain on national development?
• What are the factors instigating the brain drain of medical professionals in the study area?
• What are the effective ways for reducing the continual Nursing profession brain drain in the region under consideration?

1.6 Research Hypothesis

In order to pursue the objective of this study, the following generalized statements have been designed to guide and aids in obtaining the result for the experiment to be conducted. For this work, the null hypothesis will be represented with H0 while the alternative hypothesis will be represented with hypothesis H1.

Hypothesis One

• H0: Brain drain from the nursing profession has negative impact on patient care in the study area
• H1: Brain drain from the nursing profession has positive impact on patient care in the study area

Hypothesis Two

• H0: There are no significant factors instigating the brain drain of medical professionals in the study area
• H1: There are significant factors instigating the brain drain of medical professionals in the study area

1.7 Significance of Study

This research study is relevant since it has illuminated some of the primary reasons for the brain drain in the medical field, and recommendations and potential remedies have already been made to reduce the negative effects on the entire country. This study is a great resource for researchers who want to learn more about this subject, and non-researchers may use it to aid with their own research. This work contributes to our understanding and might serve as a template for such studies in the future.

1.8 Scope of Study

The scope of the research is focused on the Impact of Brain Drain in the Nursing Profession on Patient Care. The study will cover only Nurses from Owerri Metropolis in Imo State.

1.9 Limitations of the Study

During the course of this study, there were some problems encountered which stood as limitations to the research work. Some of the limitations include:

1. Time Constraint:The time frame given to accomplish this project was very short due to school academic calendar and it was carried out under pressure which made the researcher not to implement some necessary features.
2. Financial Constraint: Insufficient fund tends to impede the efficiency of the researcher in sourcing for the relevant materials, literature or information and in the process of data collection (internet, questionnaire and interview).
3. Initial Cooperation Delay from Respondents: A particular limitation of this work came as a result of the respondent refusal to offer their cooperation at the initial time they were contacted. This contributed in making the success of this research study difficult.

1.10 Definition of Terms

Brain Drain:

It is the transfer of knowledge, experience, skill and expertise from one region, country or geographic location to another.