In a moment of camaraderie and resilience, nurses exchange high-fives during their transition between shifts at the negative pressure ward of Daegu Medical Center on May 11. This day marked a significant development as the government elevated the COVID-19 crisis level from “severe” to “alert,” highlighting the ongoing dedication and teamwork of healthcare professionals in the face of the pandemic. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Feb. 14 (Korea Bizwire) –The Korean Nurses Association (KNA) has publicly endorsed the government’s medical reform initiatives, including the expansion of medical school admissions quotas.
At an emergency press conference held on February 14 in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, the KNA expressed strong support for these reforms.
Highlighting the critical situation where patients are at risk due to the scarcity of doctors, the KNA referred to a tragic incident at Asan Medical Center in Seoul.
In 2022, a nurse collapsed from a brain hemorrhage during her shift and was transferred to Seoul National University Hospital due to the absence of a neurosurgeon at Asan, resulting in her untimely death.
The KNA criticized medical associations preparing for collective actions, such as strikes in opposition to the government’s plans, urging them not to abandon their duty and responsibility to patients.
“The primary duty of medical professionals is to protect the health and lives of patients,” the KNA stated, comparing abandoning patients for personal gain to firefighters or police officers leaving their posts during emergencies.
The association called on the government to stand with citizens and swiftly implement its reform plans, including an increase in medical school seats, cautioning against any behind-the-scenes compromises with interest groups that could regress medical reforms.
The KNA also put forward five demands to normalize the medical field: establishing measures to eradicate illegal medical practices like proxy surgeries, implementing a national responsibility system for nursing care, addressing regional medical imbalances, expanding home nursing for the elderly and chronic disease management, and enacting laws to ensure nursing services.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
