UI to open classes for nurses

UI to open classes for nurses

JAKARTA: The School of Nursing at the University of Indonesia
(UI) is offering nurses diploma or extension programs.

The diploma program is offered to nursing graduates while
those who already have diplomas can earn a degree by attending
the extension program.

School of Nursing dean Elly Nurachmah T said on Monday that
the programs were aimed at improving the professional standards
of Indonesian nurses ahead of the Association of South East Asian
Nations (ASEAN)'s plan to liberalize its labor markets.

Indonesia has asked for a delay in liberalizing the medical
field until 2005, saying the quality of it's nurses could not
match that of its regional counterparts.

Indonesian National Nurses Association president Achir Yani S.
Hamid said about 52 percent of the country's medical workers were
nurses, half of whom were vocational school graduates.

"Our target is that all Indonesian nurses obtain university
diplomas by 2005," said Yani.

Both Elly and Yani were speaking during a press conference on
the International Nursing Conference in Jakarta from June 4 and
June 7. About 500 participants are expected to attend the event.
-- JP