On May 12, 2021, the 50th anniversary of ‘International Nurses Day’, a nurse is calling for practical improvements in the treatment of nurses, such as legislating the number of patients per nurse, in front of the main building of Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Reporter Kim Hye-yoon unique@hani.co.kr
The labor unions of national university hospitals, including Seoul National University and Kyungpook National University Hospital, are going on a joint strike to demand additional medical personnel, including the institutionalization of a minimum of 3 patients per nurse. The branches of Seoul National University Hospital and Kyungpook National University Hospital under the Medical Solidarity Headquarters of the Public Transport Workers’ Union began the process of resolving industrial action in September. Gangwon and Chungbuk National University Hospital branches under the Medical Solidarity Headquarters are also conducting collective labor-management negotiations, and depending on the results of the negotiations, strikes by the national university hospital union may increase. There are five branches of the National University Hospital under the Medical Solidarity Headquarters, mainly composed of nurses, nursing assistants, radiographers, and physical therapists. The Medical Solidarity Headquarters demands the recruitment of hospital care personnel, especially nurses and nursing assistants. In the case of integrated nursing/nursing service wards, where nurses are in charge of patient care without guardians or caregivers, the standard was set at 3 patients per nurse, and 6 patients per nurse in general wards. This is because the number of nurses leaving due to excessive workload increases every year, and the lack of nursing staff is directly related to patient safety. According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare’s health and medical personnel survey conducted every three years, last year, domestic hospital nurses were in charge of an average of 22.6 hospitalized patients per day. In Japan, there are 3 patients per nurse, and in Australia, there are 7. Compared to this, the labor intensity of domestic nurses is much higher. Because of this, the resignation of nurses is on the rise. The resignation rate of newly hired nurses within one year is 52.8% in 2021, which is more than half. Nevertheless, the government froze medical personnel at national university hospitals again this year, following last year. National University Hospital has been classified as an institution under the Ministry of Education since 2008 and is subject to regulations in terms of personnel and budget. The total labor cost of medical staff at national university hospitals must follow the wage guidelines of the Ministry of Strategy and Finance, and the upper limit of this year’s increase rate is 1.7%. It is not easy to supply medical personnel. Approval from the Ministry of Strategy and Finance is also required to increase the number of medical staff. On April 25, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced the ‘2nd Comprehensive Nursing Workforce Support Plan’, which proposed a phased staffing ratio of 5 patients per nurse, but has not yet revealed an implementation plan. Yoon Tae-seok, head of the Seoul National University Hospital branch of the Medical Solidarity Headquarters, said at a joint strike press conference of the public transport union held in front of the president’s office in Yongsan-gu, Seoul on September 5, “If manpower control in public hospitals, which is not in private hospitals, continues, the decline in the quality of public medical service is as obvious as fire. He said, “Although it is a public domain, the drastic difference in working conditions, including wages, due to the conditions of public hospitals that are in competition with private hospitals will cause serious problems.” In addition, the Medical Solidarity Headquarters demands the establishment of standards for health and medical personnel, comprehensive expansion of integrated nursing care services, expansion of the number of doctors in essential medical fields, cessation of non-face-to-face medical treatment, and application of industrial accident insurance to nursing workers.
※The ‘Reversal of Publicness’ project was produced by the Hankyoreh with support from the National Public Transport and Social Service Union.
Reporter Kim Hae-jeong sea@hani.co.kr
2023-09-14 04:30:21
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