Korean J Adult Nurs.  2013 Dec;25(6):701-711.

Current Situation and the Forecast of the Supply and Demand of the Nursing Workforce in Korea

• Kim BH
• Chung BY
• Kim JK
• Lee AY
• Hwang SY
• Cho JA
• Kim JA

Abstract

PURPOSE
The plan proposed by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 2012 did not reflect the position of nurses and focused only on how to increase the number of nurses. There is a need for coming up with a specific and viable alternative plan considering the qualitative aspect of nursing, delegation of nursing tasks, the in-death analysis of the reasons for leaving the nursing profession, and the legal standards based on varying nursing tasks.
METHODS
Drawing on a review of existing literature, this report was written to examine policy directions and the factors that influence the institutional environment that regulates the supply and demand of the nursing workforce in Korea.
RESULTS
Implementing the government's plan for introducing a new type of nurse, the registered practical nurse, which generally requires a two-year associate's degree, must be reconsidered. Also, a concrete plan to make use of unemployed nurses and to close the salary gap between nurses working at hospitals in cities and those working at hospitals in rural areas must be prepared. Furthermore, there is a need for introducing a new rating system aimed at boosting the quality of nursing care in small-and medium-sized hospitals, thereby increasing the number of nursing professionals who provide high quality care.
CONCLUSION
In preparation for expected poor quality of care and looming unemployment crisis due to the increase in the number of nursing professionals, a practical and concrete plan for the supply and demand of the nursing workforce should be made. The Korean Nurses Association should mount a profession-wide campaign to make the government formulate a new and viable policy on the supply and demand of the nursing workforce.

MeSH Terms

Health Policy
Health Resources
Korea*
Nursing Care
Nursing*
Salaries and Fringe Benefits
Staff Development
Unemployment

Figure

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  Figure 1. Ratio of nurses to nursing assistants by different types of medical facilities.

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  Figure 2. The salary of new nurses by different types of medical facilities, by regions and by nursing rating.

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