Tensions rise over Nursing Act

The Korea Times

The Korea Times

National

Tue, October 3, 2023 | 06:37

Health & Science

Tensions rise over Nursing Act

Posted : 2023-02-27 17:02

Updated : 2023-05-02 15:49

Lee Pil-soo, center, the head of the Korean Medical Association, speaks during a rally in front of the National Assembly, Sunday, to protest the Assembly's move to legislate the Nursing Act. Yonhap

By Jun Ji-hye

A conflict is intensifying between nurses and other medical workers, including doctors, over the National Assembly's move to pass a bill legislating the Nursing Act.

Independent from the Medical Services Act, the proposed nursing law would clarify the scope of nurses' work and improve their working conditions, aiming to resolve nurses' frequent complaints over ambiguities in their roles and duties as stipulated in the Medical Services Act that they claim have increased their workload.

Nurses, however, seem to be the only group welcoming this legislation, as other medical workers' groups such as the Korean Medical Association (KMA) ― comprised of doctors ― are bitterly opposed.

The objectors are stepping up their protest as the bill, backed by the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) which controls more than half of the 300-seat Assembly, is likely to be passed if it is put to an actual vote in a plenary session.

In their escalating protest, the KMA, together with nursing assistants, radiology technicians, dentists, emergency medical technicians and care workers, held a large-scale rally in front of the National Assembly, Sunday.

"Politicians have been one-sided as they accepted opinions of a certain group only to deepen conflicts in medical circles," said Lee Pil-soo who heads the KMA. "We will give all-out efforts to fight until the Assembly disposes the bill."

The doctors' group raised concerns that the law would allow nurses to intervene in the duties of physicians, citing that the new law contains content saying nurses can perform their duties in "local communities."

Doctors say, according to the Medical Services Act, that medical services should be performed only within medical institutions.

If the new law is passed with that wording, it would make it possible for nurses to perform medical services on their own even outside hospitals.

Other medical groups such as the Korean Licensed Practical Nurses Association (KLPNA) ―comprised of nursing assistants ― claimed the new law would offer privileges to a certain group of medical professionals.

"The Nursing Act will rattle the basis of the country's healthcare system as it would give too much authority to nurses and turn away from other professionals in medical circles," said Kwak Ji-yeon, who heads the KLPNA.

On the other hand, nurses call for the law's prompt enactment, saying it will be necessary in preparation for the aging of society and periodic appearance of infectious diseases.

"It is improper to jump to hasty conclusions that the new law will allow nurses to open medical facilities in local communities and to block the passage of the law," said Choi Hoon-wha from the Korean Nurses Association.

jjh@koreatimes.co.kr