QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE NURSING SHORTAGE IN MACAO PRIOR TO RECENT POLICY CHANGES

This survey assessed the agreement levels among public sector nurses in Macao regarding 57 factors potentially contributing to the nursing shortage. Previous qualitative research highlighted nurses’ concerns about staffing levels and their impact on patient care quality. Using a quantitative design, questionnaires were distributed across hospitals, health centers, and health stations. Of 743 questionnaires sent, 467 were returned (62.85% response rate). Analysis revealed high agreement on key contributors to the shortage, including dissatisfaction with salary and employment benefits, the burden of non-nursing tasks, the need for continuing nursing education, and challenges associated with the patient population. These findings underscore critical areas for nurse managers and policymakers to target in order to enhance nurse retention and maintain quality healthcare in Macao’s public sector