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Free Malaysia Today
09-06-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
Involve nurses in duty roster to lower burnout, say private hospitals
The Malayan Nurses Union said nurses in public hospitals were already under immense pressure and that an increase in working hours will exacerbate this. PETALING JAYA : The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) has offered its insights on preventing nurses from burning out, as the health ministry moves to implement a 45-hour work week for ward nurses in government hospitals from Aug 1. APHM said private hospitals had structured schedules designed to ensure both effective patient care and staff wellbeing, with nurses typically working between 42 to 45 hours a week, depending on unit and service needs. APHM president Dr Kuljit Singh said the private healthcare sector also involved nurses in scheduling decisions, adding that studies have shown this improved job satisfaction and lowered the burnout rate. Kuljit said private hospitals set up their schedules to ensure 24-hour coverage while allowing nurses adequate rest and time off, as well as accommodating their shift preferences and input into the roster. 'These hours are not arbitrary mandates, but are carefully crafted based on departmental demands, patient acuity and workload to ensure nurses are neither overworked nor underutilised,' he said in a statement. While government hospitals have higher patient loads, Kuljit said they had a significantly larger pool of nursing staff than private hospitals. This comes after the health ministry was given a 'final' two-month extension for the implementation of the 45-hour work week for ward nurses. The Malayan Nurses Union (MNU) protested the decision, saying nurses in public hospitals were already under immense pressure and that an increase in hours will make matters worse. 'In the government sector, nurses work on rotating shifts, that is morning, evening, and night, and the roster is not fixed,' MNU president Saaidah Athman told FMT. 'Schedules often change and sometimes, even when they are on official leave, nurses are called back to work based on the needs of the unit.' Despite the larger pool of nurses in public hospitals, Saaidah said many were already taking on extra duties without additional support, with some even forced to delay going to the toilet because of the number of tasks. 'When on double duty, they assist in patient transfers, support procedures, managing documentation, providing medications, and following doctors on rounds. Sometimes they end up working up to 14 hours a day. 'If a single shift becomes eight hours, double duty becomes 16 hours. There's no shift allowance, no meal allowance, no transport allowance. How can nurses not feel burned out?'
Free Malaysia Today
08-06-2025
- Health
- Free Malaysia Today
APHM organising largest hospital exhibition in Malaysia
Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia president Dr Kuljit Singh says the exhibition, which will be held from June 9 to 11, is timely in view of the rising global healthcare costs. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : The Association of Private Hospitals Malaysia (APHM) is organising what is reputed to be the largest hospital exhibition in the country next week. APHM president Dr Kuljit Singh said the event will feature a total of 420 exhibitors from Europe, the US, Australia and Asia. They will be offering equipment at competitive prices, which in the long run would help in reducing the cost of private healthcare. Kuljit said the cost of treatment at private hospitals also hinged on the latest innovations these hospitals had. 'And people all over the world are looking for cost-effective and value-added treatment. 'So this exhibition will allow private hospitals to make informed choices that can ultimately attract more health tourists,' he said when contacted, referring to the APHM International Healthcare Conference and Exhibition. Kuljit went on to say that the exhibition, which will be held from June 9 to 11, was timely in view of the rising global healthcare costs. He also encouraged public hospitals to attend the exhibition as they could invest in technology that was comparatively cheaper. Kuljit expressed hope that the exhibition will solidify Malaysia's leadership in the Asean healthcare landscape. According to a 2024 report by RHB, Malaysia is among the top destinations for medical tourism within the region. The country took in over RM2 billion in revenue in 2023. Kuljit said the exhibition will run concurrently with the APHM International Healthcare Conference 2025, which is set to explore six focussed tracks on healthcare challenges, including cost management and financing through evidence-based, patient-centred discussions, and collaboration between private providers and global innovators. The exhibition and conference, which will be held at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, are jointly organised by the Reed Sinopharm Exhibitions. It will be officiated by health minister Dzulkefly Ahmad.
