Nursing Workforce Planning: Mapping the Policy Trail

Planning for the efficient and effective delivery of health care services to meet the health needs of the populations is a significant challenge. Globally policy makers, educators, health service researchers, leaders of unions and professional associations, and other key stakeholders struggle with the best way to plan for a workforce to fulfill the health needs of populations. To meet this challenge, achieving the appropriate balance between human and non-human resources is important and requires continuous monitoring, careful attention to the country specific context in which policy decisions are made, and evidence-based decision-making. This paper provides an overview of current evidence and policy initiatives pertinent to the nursing workforce including: health human resource (HHR) planning, service planning and modelling; nursing workforce imbalances and internal migration; and approaches to nursing deployment and utilisation. Policy implications and recommendations are offered. [author’s description]