"Respect" President Moon's Encouragement... Nurses Say, "Please Protect the Existing Workforce First"

President Moon Jae-in is presiding over the senior secretaries and aides meeting at the Blue House on the 31st of last month. [Image source=Yonhap News]

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[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] President Moon Jae-in sent a message of consolation to nurses, saying, "You must be having a hard time bearing the burden of doctors who have been on strike for a long time," while on the 2nd, nursing organizations urged fundamental alternatives, stating, "The poor working conditions did not arise from the doctors' collective actions."

The 'Young Nurses Society' posted on their official Facebook page on the same day, expressing gratitude to President Moon for recognizing the nurses' hard work, but also stating, "The poor working conditions, increased workload, and emotional labor of nurses did not suddenly arise due to the doctors' collective actions."

They said, "If medical personnel are urgently needed, please firmly protect the current medical workforce first," emphasizing, "The way to reduce nurses' difficulties is not by increasing nursing school admissions or implementing regional nurse systems." They appealed, "Please listen to the real voices of nurses, not the Nursing Association."

The 'Nurses in Action' also released a statement on the same day titled, "Enough with just verbal improvements in nurses' treatment. Prepare an implementation plan and budget."

They said, "Although chaos is occurring in medical sites due to the absence of doctors, this chaos is not new to nurses," adding, "Even before COVID-19 and before the doctors' collective actions, nurses suffered from a shortage of medical personnel and excessive workloads."

They continued, "We hope President Moon's message is not another form of the 'Thanks Challenge,'" emphasizing, "Policies such as creating a safe environment for nurses to work sustainably, improving poor salary systems, and establishing concrete education systems and budgets must be implemented and legally enforced in each hospital."

Finally, they argued, "For President Moon's promises not to be empty words, the government must work together with frontline nurses to urgently expand what is needed during the COVID-19 disaster situation."

A statement posted on February 2nd on the official Facebook page of the nurses' organization 'Jeolmeun Ganhosaehoe' (Young Nurses Association). Photo by Jeolmeun Ganhosaehoe Facebook

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Earlier, President Moon wrote on his Facebook on the same day, consoling nurses by saying, "I offer my deep gratitude and respect to the nurses who are silently protecting the medical sites abandoned by doctors such as residents."

President Moon added, "Furthermore, as the medical gap increases patient inconvenience, nurses have to endure criticism and verbal abuse. Thinking of nurses who suffer from poor working conditions, increased workload, and emotional labor makes me very saddened."

He emphasized, "During the recent heatwave, the heartbreaking news that medical staff who could not remove their protective suits at outdoor screening clinics were collapsing touched the hearts of the people," adding, "Although they were referred to as medical staff, the public knows well that most of them were nurses."

He then said, "The government will seek ways to alleviate the difficulties of nurses even a little. The government will do its best to support expanding nursing personnel, improving working conditions, and enhancing treatment," promising, "We will promptly start with what can be done immediately, such as increasing nursing staff at public hospitals on the front lines of COVID-19 prevention."

Meanwhile, the Korean Intern Resident Association and others have opposed the government's four medical policies?expanding medical school quotas, establishing public medical schools, promoting non-face-to-face medical care, and pilot projects for herbal medicine coverage?and have launched an indefinite strike since the 21st of last month.

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