‘We’re tired’: Nurses say out-of-pocket costs and burnout driving exodus

Nurses in Fiji claim they are being forced to buy their own medical supplies just to provide basic patient care, as heavy workloads and understaff­ing push many to exhaustion and even leave the profession.

The crisis is widespread, with shortages affecting multiple wards and divisions across the country.

Nurses claim spending their own money on items such as stetho­scopes, dressings, plasters, blood pressure machines and thermome­ters; equipment that should be sup­plied by the health system.

Former Fiji Nursing Association president, Dr Alisi Vudiniabola, said the situation had worsened over the years, driving some nurses to stop renewing their contracts.

“They were not leaving the profession out of choice, but because they were tired of having to buy their own equipment,” Dr Vudiniabola said.

“Nurses are not well paid, yet they still go out of their way to care for patients.”

An anonymous former nurse echoed the concerns, saying she often had to rush between wards or to the Fiji Pharmaceutical & Biomedical Services depot to secure supplies.

“This issue has been there for years,” she said. “It has never gone away.”

Assistant Minister for Health Penioni Ravunawa said he was unaware that nurses have to purchase medical equipment to treat patients.

The strain mirrors a global nursing crisis.

According to the International Council of Nurses (ICN), long hours, heavy workloads, and the emotional toll of constant patient care are causing unprecedented burnout worldwide.

ICN director of nursing policy and practice David Stewart, currently in Fiji meeting with local stakeholders, said the situation was acute in Pacific countries.

“Retention is the crisis,” Mr Stewart said. “Fiji has lost up to a third of its nurses. Those who remain are carrying heavier loads. Burnout, anxiety, and even post-traumatic stress are becoming common.”

He added that migration overseas is often about survival rather than ambition.

“Nursing is now considered one of the most hazardous occupations in the world. Violence against health workers is rising, and the emotional fatigue is overwhelming. We must stop treating nurses as an expendable cost, every dollar invested in nursing brings up to four dollars in return.”

Despite the challenges, Fiji’s nurses remain committed and highly skilled, but experts warn the profession cannot continue shouldering the burden without urgent and meaningful change.