JNA News Release2014 April, Vol.14

JNA News Release
Japanese Nursing Association
5-8-2 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, JAPAN

Tel: +81-3-5778-8559

Fax: +81-3-5778-8478

http://www.nurse.or.jp/jna/english/

Message from JNA President, Suga Sakamoto
I am now in the second term of my presidency. Japan is witnessing
demographic change and the corresponding change of its healthcaredelivery system. It is the time to reform this system. We, the nurses are
the key in the future healthcare delivery system that is supported by self-,
mutual-, and public-help, and focuses on patients with chronic illnesses.
Japanese Nursing Association wants to be the organization that focuses 5and 10 years ahead, makes policy proposals and sees them become
reality. We have therefore worked on a future vision of nursing whichclearly shows the concept of an ideal way of work and feature of nursing.
We look upon this time of change positively and focus on establishing thequality nursing in Japan.■

Report on the 2013 Survey on the Demand and Supply of Hospital Nurses
Since 1995, JNA has conducted the Surveys on theNurses, Midwives and Nurses and Act on Assurance

Demand and Supply of Hospital Nurses to understandof Work Forces of Nurses and Other Medical Experts,

the trend in supply and demand and working

the training program for newly graduated nurses thatsituations of hospital nurses. In 2013, we surveyed

was obligated to exert stronger effort from April 2010,

areas such as efficiency of nursing work in the wards

was conducted at 95.8% of hospitals that hired new

as well as usual items including the turnover rate andgraduates.

average salary.

higher the rate at which the hospital conducted its ownTurnover Rate of Nurses

The larger the scale of hospital, thetraining, and hospitals with fewer than 200 beds

The turnover rate was 11.0% among full-time nurses

showed a strong tendency to outsource training.

(+0.1 points from the previous year) and 7.9% among

Improving efficiency of nursing work in the

newly graduated nurses (+0.4 points).

wards

In bothcategories there was a tendency that larger hospitals

In areas where more improvement is needed inhave lower turnover rates.

The turnover rate ofefficiency for work in which nurses are currentlyfull-time nurses by prefecture also tends to beengaged, medication management was highest at

continuously high in large cities.

62.4%, followed by 44.6% for paperwork and 42.1%

Status of Implementation on Training Program forfor filing documents/forms.

Newly Graduated Nurses

number of beds, these were the top three areas, but

Following the 2009 revision of the Act on Public Health1|

Irrespective of the

an increase in beds correlated with the large

JNA News Release2014 Vol.14

proportion of medication management, while a lower

notification issued by head of Health Policy Bureau of

number of beds correlated with a higher proportion of

the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare in 2007.

documentation

documents/forms.

However, it was thought that this was not known in all

Regarding the top three items, it was stated thatfields and introduction of specific measures has notrole-sharing is possible with other types of jobs in theprogressed. ■andfiling

Medication management

62.4

Paperwork

44.6

Filing documents/forms

42.1

Admission guidance

26.9

Patient transfer to examination room etc

16.2

Guidance on blood sampling and examination

15.2

Bed making

12.7

Meal serving

12.6

Replenish supplies

11.7

Preparation of medical supplies

10.4

Work as a messenger

8.4

Escort to examination room etc

4.5

Others6.9020406080

The area requiring efficiency in the work

2013 Survey on Actual Situation of Nurses
JNA conducted the 2013 Survey on Actual Situation ofIntent to continue working as nurses

Nurses. This survey is intended to clarify the actual

Regarding the intent to continue working as a nurse

status and attitudes in ways of working of nurses who

until retirement, the highest opinion of those 30 years

are active in a range of fields, such as hospitals,of age and older who were surveyed is they “want tohome-based services, nursing facilities, education

continue working as a nurse,” while nurses in their 20s

institutions and public administration.

The survey

who “want to do a job in which they can pursue theirhas been conducted on JNA members once every fourown interests, irrespective of whether or not that isyears.

nursing” were 43.5%; higher than the 39.9% whoHeavy workload“want to continue working as a nurse.” This poses anThe biggest gap between the image and reality ofissue in adjusting work contents and environments innursing was the heavy workload, with 70.1% oforder for young people to have the desire to continue

respondents answered that “worse than imagined.”working as nurses.

There were not only problems of working hours andRequests to current workplaces

taking leave, but also the busy practice due to

The most frequent request to the current employer

diversification and sophistication of nursing and highly

was salary increase, at 50.5%, followed by reduction

demanding nature of work.

of workload at 32.4%, promoting taking leave at

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28.5% and relieving the burden of nightshifts at
15.1%.■

long working hours 3.5
availability of paid holidays

11.4

number and working hours of night shifts 3.6

43.6

51.9

1

31.3

56.6

0.7

58.2

wage 7.1

35.9

36.8

worklaods 1.7

55.2

27

enjoyment and value of work

2.2
0.9

70.1

23.2

54.3

1.2
21.8 0.8

medical safety system

12.9

60.6

25.6

0.9

education and guidance by supervisors and seniors

16.3

52.9300.9

system of skill development and career progress

13.4

56.2

29.4

0.9

relations with patients and their families

14.5

69.6

job relations

19.9

55.8

15.1 0.8
23.5

0.8

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

better than one imagined

just what one imagined

worse than one imaginedno answer/unknown

The gap between image and actual situation of nursing work

Report on Employment of Non-working Nurses: Results of Analysis of Registry
Data in Prefectural Nurse Centers
The prefectural nursing associations are entrusted bycare facilities increased in line with age.

prefectures and operates nurse centers that offer freeseeking full-time jobs were going downward, while theemployment placement for nurses and support

rate of job seekers seeking part-time or temporary

returning to work for currently non-working nurses.

employment was tending to increase.

JNA summarized results of analysis of registry data

Those

Job offers

collected from the prefectural nursing associations

The trend of job offers at facilities was trending

between 2003 and 2012.

upward since 2010.

Ratio of job offers to job applicants
The ratio of job offers to job applicants nearly doubled

In 2012, hospitals that

registered at the nurse centers accounted for 50.8% of
all hospitals in Japan.

over 10 years. The ratio for full-time workers tended

Introducing job seekers and finding employment

to be on the rise. There were differences in the ratio

A total of 28.6% of all job seekers were introduced toamong regions.

employers, and 18.9% were hired.

Job seekers

The rate of

introducing job seekers who were unemployed thenLooking at the trends of job seekers by age over 10

was 36.7% and the employment rate was 27.0%. On

years, those in their 40s or older tend to be increasing.

the other hand, the ratio of introduced job seekers toThose wishing to work in hospitals decreased in line

job offers was 10.6% of which the actually employedwith age, while those wishing to work in long-term

nurses were 66.3%.■

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JNA News Release2014 Vol.14

News Topics in Japan
Toward the Establishment of a Training System for Performing Specified Medical Interventionas Assistance for Medical Care
On February 12, the Cabinet decided on the submission of the “Bill for Establishment of Related Acts
for Comprehensively Promoting the Securement of Regional Health and Long-term Care” to the Dietand introduced to the House of Representatives. This is a package bill for amending the Medical
Service Law and Long-Term Care Insurance Act and such to promote the necessary health andlong-term care. This includes a large number of law amendments related to nursing such asestablishment of a training program for nurses to perform specified medical intervention, a system toimprove the working environment for healthcare workers, and a provision of notification (obligation toput forth the best effort) to the prefectural nurse centers in times of nurses turnover.

Nursing in JapanQ What is the Training System for Nurses to Perform Specified MedicalInterventions?
The bill, the Training System for Nurses to Perform Specified Medical Interventions, is under deliberationin the Diet. In this system, nurses completing the designated training are able to perform specified
medical intervention as part of assisting medical care of nursing role. The training program aims toimprove practical comprehension, thinking and judgment competence, and advanced professional
knowledge and skills. While the needs for healthcare are increasing with the coming of the advanced
aging society, providing more effective and efficient healthcare toward the future is necessary. The
Japanese government has proceeded with fundamental reform of the healthcare delivery system. Nurses
are expected to play their role to the fullest extent, and deliberation and examination have also been
conducted in the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare for revising the work of nurses. One such
revision is the Training System for Nurses to Perform Specified Medical Interventions. Following therecommendation of establishment of “specific practice nurses” (tentative name) in the review meeting ofthe Ministry in March 2010, the discussion proceeded based on the results of a fact-finding effort
concerning the work of nurses and results of a pilot project on education and work. The consensus wasformed regarding the Training System for Nurses to Perform Specified Medical Interventions in October
2013. The bill was submitted to the Diet in February 2014, and deliberation have progressed towardrevision of the Act on Public Health Nurses, Midwives and Nurses.

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