South Korea's Nurse Activity Rate Falls Far Below OECD Average
It has been found that only 61% of the approximately 530,000 licensed nurses in South Korea are actually working in medical settings.
Korean Nurses Association
The Korean Nurses Association announced on the 25th that, based on an analysis of the Ministry of Employment and Labor's "Regional Employment Survey" and health insurance statistics from the National Health Insurance Service and the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, there were about 527,000 licensed nurses in South Korea as of last year. However, only about 323,000 nurses were actively working in medical institutions and communities.
The remaining 204,000 are "inactive nurses" who have left the medical field, representing a 28.3% increase compared to 159,000 in 2019. Notably, as of June last year, only 51.04% of all licensed nurses were working in medical institutions, significantly lower than the OECD average activity rate of 68.2%.
Experts point to several main reasons why experienced nurses are leaving the field: excessive workload, poor working conditions, inadequate compensation systems, and difficulties returning to work after career interruptions.
The government and the nursing community are working to address the issue of inactive nurses following the enactment of the Nursing Act. Institutional measures are being promoted, such as expanding re-education programs through the Nursing Workforce Support Center, providing additional pay for night shifts, introducing an education-dedicated nurse system, and establishing manuals to prevent human rights violations. In particular, on the 18th, a bill to legislate the number of patients per nurse was submitted to the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee, marking the start of serious discussions on improving nurse staffing.
However, some point out that simply increasing the number of new nurses will not solve the problem. They argue that it is necessary to improve systems so that experienced nurses can return to the field and continue working long-term, including providing tailored re-education and practice opportunities, introducing part-time and flexible work schedules, and establishing long-term retention incentives.
Above all, many emphasize that the fundamental solution lies in improving excessive workloads and poor treatment. Measures such as appropriate staffing through amendments to the Nursing Act, establishing systems to prevent verbal and physical abuse, and guaranteeing sufficient break time must be implemented together to ensure that nurses can work safely and with respect.
A representative of the Korean Nurses Association stated, "Solving the issue of inactive nurses is the first step toward alleviating the nursing workforce shortage and providing high-quality medical services to the public," adding, "We will do our utmost to develop fundamental solutions so that experienced nurses can return to the field and continue working long-term without burden."
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