USAID and the Jordanian Nursing Council launch a public awareness campaign promoting the nursing profession

The nation-wide campaign aims to increase the knowledge and understanding of the opportunities available within the profession.

The awareness campaign is the result of several months of partnership between the USAID-funded SABEQ Program and JNC. The campaign builds on previous efforts by JNC to raise awareness of the nobility of the nursing profession. The awareness campaign's messages and activities, targeting school girls aged 13, 14, and 15 years, show that this profession is in fact a career option with many levels of advancement. The young girls are not the only target audience in this campaign, which is designed to also address their families, the base of the young girls' support system. By addressing the families, the campaign looks to enhance the positive belief in the profession, and demonstrate the profession's status in the society.

"This goal will not be achieved overnight," stated Rodrigo Ortiz, USAID/SABEQ Chief of Party, "it is a process that will take considerable time and effort from all the stakeholders."

The Secretary General for the Jordanian Nursing Council, Ms Da'ad Shokeh, also noted the important role of nurses stating: "The awareness campaign aims to emphasize the role of nurses in Jordanian society, by focusing on specialized roles in various aspects of the profession. "

The Jordanian medical services sector is one of the largest contributors to the Jordanian economy, and its rapid growth is creating the need for qualified personnel, specifically female nurses. At present, there is an overall shortage in the workforce in the nursing profession. There is also a considerable difference in the ratio of male to female nurses, which stands at 70 to 30% respectively.

The event also included the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the USAID-funded SABEQ Program and JNC. On his part, USAID Mission Director Jay Knott emphasized the importance of supporting women and their role in the growth of the economy "Within the framework of the various activities USAID carries out with its partners, an essential element is demonstrating the importance of the role of women in every sector of the economy; the medical services sector and nursing profession is no exception." The MoU, witnessed by the USAID Mission Director, outlined areas of technical support provided by USAID/SABEQ to JNC in the areas of capacity building and policy development to further enhance the nursing profession in Jordan.