Vital

News & commentary about the global health workforce

Understanding Health Workforce Productivity at the Facility Level: A New eLearning Course

We know we need to train and deploy more health workers, but how can we make the most of the health workers we currently have?

For Health Workers on Ebola's Front Lines, Stress Management is Crucial

Under pressure of long hours, short staffing, and the growth of a deadly disease, how can health workers stay safe and effective?

The Oft-Overlooked Job Description

A simple job description can do wonders for a health worker's morale and even the quality of care she provides. So why are job descriptions so hard to come by in some countries?

In Rural Ethiopia, Change Isn't Always Easy

After 32 years of service in health care, Bekalu Afenew hoped his next post would be in a big city. It wasn't, but he didn't let that slow him down.

A Guatemalan Nurse Works for Better Staff Performance—and Better Services for Patients

“I like providing support and care to patients,” says Rosa Lara de Forela, the subdirector of nursing at the Pedro de Bethancourt National Hospital in beautiful Antigua, Guatemala.

Health Workers Have a Right to Clean Hands

According to the 2010 Kenya Service Provision Assessment survey, only 46% of Kenyan health facilities have running water year-round.

An Employee Gone Bad: Why Strong Management Is Important

When a health facility does not run smoothly it can quickly become a place where bad things happen.

Thoughts on Motivating Health Workers

Health workers must be retained, productive, and caring if the huge deficits in access to health workers are to be addressed.