Is an RN Degree Important for Nurses in Saudi Arabia?

A week ago, I received a message from a nurse friend who is currently working at a government hospital in Indonesia. He expressed his desire to follow my path and move to work in Saudi Arabia. He mentioned several reasons, including low income, increasing living expenses, and the desire to provide the best education for his children.

I responded positively to my colleague's aspiration by providing some inputs that could serve as indicators for meeting the requirements for departure. I also shared several articles that i wrote in online media to expand his knowledge about the preparatory programs not only for Saudi Arabia placement, but also for other Gulf countries such as Qatar, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Our discussion was quite serious and in-depth, because the topic of preparation, registration, and evaluation of nurses in Saudi Arabia needs to be explained thoroughly, as it is closely related to the procedures for obtaining a license, which is a primary requirement for career advancement. We also discussed cultural aspects to enrich the knowledge base, especially considering that Gulf countries are very different from Southeast Asian countries, particularly Indonesia.

One interesting point from our discussion was the significance of the title for nurses in Saudi Arabia after they pass the exam to become Registered Nurse (RN). In the UK or USA, the computer-based exam known as NCLEX is used, while in Saudi Arabia, a similar exam is implemented but with different providers, namely the Prometric Test or Pearson Vue Test.

Both providers collaborate with the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS) to conduct exams for healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia, not only for nurses but also for medical professionals like doctors, dentists, and laboratories. Essentially, the Nursing Board in Saudi Arabia entrusts external parties to conduct internationally-based exams to ensure the quality of healthcare professionals who will work domestically.

In practice, if nurses pass the exam, they earn the title Registered Nurse (RN), which is appended to their names. This title is not given without basis, it distinguishes those who have passed the exam according to regulations set by the Saudi Commission for Health Specialties (SCFHS). However, the fundamental question is, how important is the title appended to the name?

To answer this, at least two points need to be understood in order to increase our knowledge about RN. Firstly, in principle, a nurse is considered an RN if they meet several requirements such as education and training including holds a bachelor's degree in nursing. The role of a bachelor's degree in nursing is broader rather than before. An RN can be an educator, coordinator, and evaluator in hospitals with a specific scope of work that covers not only basic human needs but also specialized in many fields such as critical areas or community.

Secondly, an RN must hold a license, and they need to pass an exam conducted by the Nursing Board. If they pass, they earn the suffix RN title, indicating that they are competent and can work in healthcare services. The measure of competence is not about degree that we received by passing an exam, but the challenging is more than that.

Besides long periods of study in higher education, nurses are also required to undergo field practice for varying durations. Ultimately, their knowledge and skills must be tested through a computer-based exam to determine their future careers.
These two reasons are indeed important for those who pursue nursing as a profession and life path. 

However, the RN title is not everything if not accompanied by an increase in competence after passing the exam. I have seen many nurses who have passed but whose competencies are still far from the expectations of an RN.

I told my colleague that the title should not be seen as extraordinary thing, because the essence of the title must be accompanied by increased knowledge and skills in each nurse's field, whether in critical areas or the community.

In Indonesia, the RN title can actually be given to those who have passed the competency exam, but I have never known an RN degre can be used as a suffix in a nurse's name. It could be that our Nursing Board is not yet affiliated with providers for conducting internationally-based exams, or perhaps in our country, the system is only implemented nationally to meet the domestic nursing workforce needs.

Regardless, the core point is that competence improvement must be achieved through the stages set by the Nursing Board of each country. The title is only part of that stage, but the knowledge and ability of nurses to solve problems in the work environment are the main aspects that will never cease to be developed.