Sudden Announcement of 'Nurse Staffing Measures' Ahead of Nursing Act Plenary Session... Controversy Expected

Proposed 5 Patients per Nurse but No Concrete Roadmap or Funding
Sensitive Issues Like Transfer Intensive Courses and PA Nurses
Health and Medical Workers' Union: "No Substance Visible"

As the Nursing Act bill is about to be submitted to the National Assembly plenary session, criticism is emerging that the 'Comprehensive Support Plan for Nursing Workforce' announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare lacks substance. Along with criticism that it remained declarative rather than providing concrete details, it also raised future controversies by mentioning the introduction of the 'Intensive Transfer Program,' which had divided opinions within the nursing community, and the issue of PA nurses, a contentious topic in the health and medical sector.

Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong is announcing the 2nd Comprehensive Support Plan for Nursing Workforce on the 25th.
[Photo by Ministry of Health and Welfare]

The comprehensive support plan for nursing workforce announced by the Ministry of Health and Welfare was prepared to cultivate high-quality nursing personnel and improve nurses' working conditions. The plan includes the introduction of the 'Clinical Nursing Professor System,' where hospital-employed adjunct professors work, the continued expansion of nursing college admission quotas, and the expanded deployment of nursing personnel. ▶Refer to 'Introducing Clinical Nursing Professors and Shortening the Transfer Period... Continuing Expansion of Nursing College Quotas'

However, the plan has been evaluated as having invited controversy due to the lack of a concrete roadmap or financial plan, compounded by external factors. Regarding the timing of the announcement, the prevailing view is that it was intended to influence the enactment of the Nursing Act. The Ministry of Health and Welfare initially planned to announce it on May 12, which is both International Nurses Day and the 50th anniversary of the Korean Nurses Association. However, as conflicts deepened over the Nursing Act and the nursing community rejected the government-party mediation proposal, the announcement was abruptly moved forward to April 27, just before the National Assembly plenary session, emphasizing 'improvement of treatment.' The Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union criticized, "Announcing the plan suddenly without sufficient consultation with related organizations seems linked to the passage of the Nursing Act in the National Assembly, casting doubt on the sincerity of the policy implementation."

In response, Kangseop Lim, Director of the Nursing Policy Division at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said, "Recently, conflicts over the Nursing Act bill have worsened, and both the nursing community and the public strongly demand sincere government measures to address nurses' poor working conditions," adding, "Please understand that this announcement was made based on the opinions sufficiently gathered so far to emphasize once again the government's strong policy will to improve nurses' treatment, working conditions, and status." This statement effectively acknowledges that the controversy over the Nursing Act influenced the announcement of the nursing workforce support plan.

Although the goal of assigning one nurse to care for five patients was set, it was accompanied by a caveat of phased implementation, and no specific timeline was provided, which is a disappointing aspect. Support for nursing grades at a certain level or higher in local hospitals to address nursing shortages was left at the stage of 'consideration' rather than confirmation. The plan merely declared the direction of supporting hospitals to expand nurse employment to ultimately reduce the burden on frontline nurses. The Health and Medical Workers' Union pointed out, "There is only direction but no concrete substance," and emphasized, "A specific implementation plan must be established so that frontline nurses can receive tangible compensation and benefits."

Along with the ongoing expansion of nursing college quotas, the introduction of the 'Intensive Transfer Program,' which shortens the bachelor's degree transfer period from three years to two years, is expected to face some opposition. The Ministry of Health and Welfare expects this to produce an additional 1,000 to 2,000 nurses annually, but concerns have been raised that it could lead to a decline in the quality of nursing education, ultimately increasing the burden on new nurses. Previously, the 'Nursing Society for the Realization of Health Rights' pointed out, "Even in the four-year curriculum, the period for practical field training is short, making it difficult to master practical skills," and criticized, "Passing through low-quality practice and then expecting new nurses to perform fully is pushing them off a cliff."

The announcement to start social discussions regarding PA nurses is also expected to spark future debates in the health and medical sector. PA nurses, who perform some of the doctors' duties, currently maintain an unstable status within the boundaries of the Medical Service Act. While the nursing community demands improvement of the unstable legal status of PA nurses, the medical community has consistently expressed a negative stance, arguing that PA nurses violate current laws. In fact, the Korean Pediatric Society filed a complaint against Samsung Medical Center, which had posted a job announcement for hiring PA nurses.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.