KUCHING: Local demand for nursing diploma courses is surging because of good employment prospects and career development opportunities overseas.
The only catch is that these diploma graduates must pass the Malaysian Nursing Board (MNB) examinations to qualify as registered nurses (RN) first in order to have better access to job market overseas.
An RN with five years of working experience can command a monthly salary as high as RM8,000 in some Commonwealth countries and in the Middle East, a spokesperson from a local private tertiary education provider told The Borneo Post recently.
It is understood that salaries of RN here range from RM1,800 to RM3,000 per month only, inclusive of overtime.
Their salary is also dependent on their work experience and whether they are employed in the public or private sector.
However, without MNB qualification, local salary and employment prospects for diploma graduates are not as bright, with monthly salaries hovering around the RM1,000 mark.
A spokesperson from another local private tertiary education provider confirmed that demand for nursing courses was currently quite good, but opined that this situation might change in a few years time as supply catches up with demand and the market becomes saturated with nursing graduates. A quick search online with various private tertiary education providers showed that fees for a three-year nursing diploma course costs about RM45,000 to complete.