South Korea will expand a pilot program aimed at improving the irregular work schedules of nurses. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Sept. 1 (Korea Bizwire) — South Korea will expand a pilot program this month aimed at improving the irregular work schedules of nurses, the Ministry of Health and Welfare announced Sunday.
Beginning Sept. 1, 94 hospitals and clinics selected through a government review will join the second phase of the initiative, which was first launched in April 2022 to ease the burden of erratic shift work and help new nurses adapt to clinical practice. The program provides government subsidies for substitute nurses to stabilize shift rotations and for full-time nurse educators to strengthen training systems.
During the first phase, which ran for more than three years across 96 institutions and 397 wards, compliance with planned work schedules rose from 94.7 percent to 98.3 percent, while turnover among newly hired nurses fell from 15.7 percent to 10.6 percent, according to the ministry.
The second phase broadens participation. Hospitals that previously joined will be joined by 24 new or returning institutions, and whereas the first phase required participation from at least two wards, the new rules expand the program to entire hospitals. Through June 2026, however, hospitals will be allowed to limit participation to half of their general-ward beds, with full compliance required later.
The government will also increase financial support for substitute nurses by about 3 percent, covering up to 40.96 million won ($30,000) per nurse at top-tier hospitals and 46.81 million won at general hospitals. Additional incentives will be offered to facilities in underserved regions, military areas and public hospitals, where hiring nurses is particularly difficult.
“The demand and satisfaction on the ground have been high,” said Park Hye-rin, director of nursing policy at the Health Ministry. “Through this second phase, we will carefully assess the program’s necessity and effectiveness, with the aim of transitioning to a full-scale rollout by 2028.”
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
