Nursing law hubbub
Medical workers must prioritize people’s health
Doctors and nurses are the two pillars of medical care.
But in Korea today, the two groups are like locomotives on a head-on collision course risking the lives of patients on board.
Nurses say they need a separate law to clarify the areas of work at hospitals and improve labor conditions. Doctors claim that doing so will disrupt the healthcare system by giving nurses too much authority.
Each group claims its position will better serve patients and enhance public health. However, a closer look shows most of what is happening is a turf war between various medical occupations. Nurses are on one side, while on the other are 13 groups, including doctors, nursing aides, dentists and radiologists.
All Korean medical workers are currently governed by one law ? the Medical Service Act. The law defines a nurse’s role as a medical assistant. In simpler terms, it calls for nurses to “help doctors within hospitals.” No more, no less. In extreme cases, nurses are not allowed to handle even the most basic medical acts, like checking blood sugar or pressure, at nursing homes.
That is unreasonable by any standard. Global trends and demands of the times also back up nurses’ claims. COVID-19 illustrated the importance of at-home treatment and rapid population aging requires physicians to make house calls. Korean doctors, who are already overloaded, cannot do all these jobs. More than 90 countries have separate nursing laws and only five out of 38 OECD nations do not have one.
The IMF issued a report a few years ago saying, “Expanding nurses’ role provides the key to meeting the global increase in healthcare demand.” The World Bank also said investments in the nursing workforce is essential for guaranteeing universal healthcare. These global agencies noted a steep demand increase due to the aging population worldwide and more frequent pandemics. They regard nurses as relievers amid the shortage of medical workers, saying this undervalued and underutilized group is the world’s best human resource to cope with rising demands.
However, overwork by Korean nurses has long been a problem. According to a 2016 study, the average Korean nurse cared for 16.3-43.6 patients depending on the size of a hospital. That compares to the 5.3 patients in the U.S., seven in Japan, 8.6 in the U.K., and 13 in Germany. Due to the excessive workload and unfavorable conditions, nearly half of all nurses in Korea quit their job in six to seven years. The result: numerous ghost licenses amid a severe workforce shortage. Hospitals filled the void with nursing aides.
The tentatively named Nursing Act will help to solve these problems. But doctors say nurses can improve their working conditions even under the current law. Physicians suspect the proposed law aims to ? or would end up ? encroaching upon their domain. The opponents particularly point out the addition of the word “community” (service) in addition to hospitals, claiming it hides nurses’ intention to open independent clinics someday. Yes, greed knows no limits, as shown by the old saying, “Give him an inch, and he’ll take a mile.” For now, however, such concerns seem premature, if not entirely groundless. Just let nurses do their work ? and better.
“Doctors are the most conservative group in our society,” French President Emmanuel Macron said in similar situations. “They habitually oppose all changes.” Korean doctors are as conservative, or greedy, as their French counterparts, if not more so. They would never share their work with others, be they oriental doctors, nurses or even their future colleagues. Nothing shows this better than their adamant opposition to increasing the medical student enrollment quota or establishing new medical schools.
The time has passed for doctors to drop their medical monopoly and join the global trend. They say Korea is an exception, but it is not.
Nurses must think about why practical nurses are desperately opposed to their moves. They should ask themselves whether they pass on ill-treatment received from doctors to their assistants.
Lawmakers should supplement the bill to reflect nursing assistants’ interests and pass the law. If doctors walk out in protest, the public will be their judge.
Source: Yonhap News Agency