As interest in the nursing profession has dwindled across the globe, the government yesterday launched a campaign to entice more people to take up this rewarding career.

"Nursing is different to other professions as it provides the priceless experience of helping others," said Roberta Sammut, coordinator of the Institute of Health Care's nursing division.

Speaking from personal experience she described the "immense satisfaction" of helping others through difficult times in life.

Having said that, nursing was not all about working with very sick people, she stressed.

"It's not a homogenous profession as people can expand their career by working with children and they can work with healthy people through health promotion, among other options," Ms Sammut said.

The campaign - which involves television and radio adverts and handing out of leaflets - aims to ensure young people understand the versatility of the nursing profession.

The length of the diploma and bachelors' degrees in nursing, offered at the University of Malta, has been reduced from four years to three and are expected to attract more people as a result.

Ms Sammut added the course had been made more efficient and was fully compliant with EU directives on nursing education. In fact, students would have the opportunity to spend a semester in a foreign university as part of the Erasmus exchange programme.

The new course focuses on personal and professional development and allows students to gain experience in theory and practice at various levels, such as primary health care, mental health care and at hospitals. Health Parliamentary Secretary Joseph Cassar said the whole world was experiencing a shortage of nurses.

"The demand for nurses is consistently on the increase which means qualified nurses are guaranteed job security in the next few years. This campaign is aimed at reminding young people and their parents about a profession that may have been forgotten in the past years," he said.

Agreeing with this, Ms Sammut said the nursing profession experienced competition from other sectors, such as computer and business studies, for the recruitment of qualified young people. The problem was accentuated by the fact that the young were outnumbered by an aging population.

Between Monday and July 19, an information stand will be set up in the lobby of Mater Dei Hospital and anyone interested in the profession can speak to academic staff.

The deadline for the submission of applications for the diploma and bachelors' nursing courses is July 26 and a total of 140 students will be accepted. Students will be screened according to their academic qualifications.

For more information phone 2340 1571 or 2340 1831 or send an e-mail to ihc@um.edu.mt.