In Thailand there has been rapid growth of the number of private nurse training institutions; however, the extent to which these institutions will help relieve nursing shortages in public facilities and rural areas is unknown.

RESYST research has shown that:

• Privately trained nurses are less likely to work in the public sector compared to those who trained in public schools, with only a third intending to do so upon graduation.
• There is no difference between public and privately trained nurses in their attitudes towards working in rural areas; however, those who trained in public institutions are better prepared to work in rural areas.
• Rural upbringing and local recruitment to nurse training programmes are associated with a more positive attitude towards working in rural areas.

It is recommended that nursing schools should selectively recruit students from rural areas, and ensure that curriculum content and training experiences improve students’ knowledge of, and attitudes towards, rural areas.

This brief is based on research carried out as part of the RESYST health workforce theme, which looks at the role of the private sector in addressing human resource constraints in Thailand, India and Kenya.