Transforming the nursing profession in Saudi Arabia

Aim To discuss the impact of health-care policies and regulations on hospitals' journey towards the Magnet designation in Saudi Arabia. Background Saudi Arabia, like many other countries, faces several challenges in achieving `the Gold Standard' in nursing practice. Centralised management, the absence of a regulatory professional body, lack of a national benchmarking database and a nursing shortage are all major challenges in advancing nursing practice. Key issue The presence of two Magnet-designated hospitals in Saudi Arabia (not affiliated with the Ministry of Health) is an opportunity to explore how this has been achieved within the organisational and professional context. The nursing leaders in the Ministry of Health could be accountable to address the barriers in advancing nursing practice and to raise nursing awareness regarding the adoption of a new culture of excellence. Implications for Nursing Management Nursing managers in the Ministry of Health hospitals are encouraged to assess the hospitals' readiness to apply for Magnet status. Their readiness must include having a high level of nursing satisfaction and low turnover rate, which goes along with assessing cultural and organisational climates to understand the gaps in work environment and driving evidence of readiness toward achieving Magnet status. Conclusion Health-care policies and regulations, both nationally and globally, can result in several challenges to achieving `the Gold Standard' in nursing practice. These challenges may not be possible to resolve within an organisational level. Collaborative effort and transformational changes are needed to drive the nursing profession toward the best outcomes for our patients and nurses.