They denounce that there are fewer nurses than necessary

Argentina has 3.8 nurses per 10,000 inhabitants, one of the lowest rates in the region, while "the minimum should exceed four professionals per 10,000 people," according to national and international organizations.

The statistics belong to the Argentine Nursing Federation (AWF) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). They were known on the occasion of the world day of this profession, commemorated every 12 May.

According to the 2018 data from the Argentinian Health Information System (HIFIS), 179,175 people are currently enrolled in the nursing field. Of this total, 19,729 (11.01%) are graduates, representing the highest level of training, while 73,373 (40.95%) are technicians and 86,073 (48.04%) are badistants. who are the least educated since they've had a one-year career.

OPS noted that Chile was the country with the largest number of nurses with 22 out of 10,000 inhabitants, followed by Uruguay with 18.9; Paraguay, with 14.6; Brazil with 7.1 and Bolivia with 5.1.

"The outlook is alarming, according to PAHO data, in Argentina, the proportion of nurses per doctor is 0.56, while the proposed goal is at least one nurse for each doctor." Fifteen countries ( 34%) from Latin America, including Argentina, still do not meet this goal, "said Etelvina Paniagua, director of the school of nursing in the hospital German.

For her part, Silvia Santulli, head of the nursing department at this health center, stressed the importance of "actively working on strategies to increase the number of professionals, such as improving their care, management and practice. their social status ".

Alejandra Ruz, who has been practicing for 23 years, also pointed out that "they want cheaper nurses, but nurses no longer collaborate with the doctor, but work together and make up an important part of the team. interdisciplinary health ".

WITH THE PROFESSION IN THE SOUL

César Latorre, a nurse and son of nurses, said the event "should be used for more than just wishes." On this international day of nursing, it is essential that the real needs of the group emerge. In Argentina, its weight is still not recognized both in its social role and in its professional and trade union participation, it is a contradiction that must be remedied, "he said.

Nurses provide patients with 80% of the care they receive

Andrea Ramírez also takes the infirmary in the blood. She says she chose this profession because her mother, 81, is also a nurse.

"I was born in the hospital and that's the job I chose with my soul.The only tribute we want these days is to be recognized and to receive what suits him," complains -he.

The professional said that her salary at the head of nursing and with 21 years was 31,000 pesos.

"A nurse who just entered receives less than 20,000 people, it is not enough.Moreover, most nurses are women and often heads of families, which makes the situation even more precarious, "he added.

LACK OF RECOGNITION

"The system itself does not recognize us and the rules leave us out of the law of health professionals, which is a major contradiction, because nurses provide patients with 80% of the care they receive," she says. .

"The standard approved in 2018," said Alejandra Ruz, specialist in pediatric nursing, "publishes a list of covered professions, excluding graduates in nursing or careers such as a diploma in instrumentation surgical or bio-imaging. "

In this sense, noted Ruz, "not only are we not recognized, but these rules also affect us economically, because if nurses were under the law of health professionals, they would earn between 15,000 and 20,000 pesos and could compete. " for fees, such as addresses of clinics or hospitals. "