JNA News Release2019 March Vol.28

JNA News Release
Japanese Nursing Association

5-8-2 Jingu-mae, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0001, JAPAN

Tel: +81-3-5778-8559

Fax: +81-3-5778-5602

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

Message from JNA President: The Year to attain Substantial Achievements
toward Policy Realization
Nursing Association (JNA) will continue to uphold thefour key policies as in the last fiscal year; (i) thepromotion of reform of the basic nursing education
system, (ii) the establishment of a system for nursing
service provision in the community based integrated
care, (iii) the promotion of work style reform for nurses,and (iv) promotion of the role expansion of nurses anddevelopment of human resources for nursing.
Taking into account trends in national policies, we will

Toshiko Fukui,President, Japanese Nursing Association

lead balanced activities, in an unwavering stance on along-term basis, but with flexible and timely decision-I would like to sincerely extend a message at thebeginning of 2019. Last year, the "Act on the
Arrangement of Related Acts to Promote Work Style
Reform" was enacted as a major system reform. Broadchanges and influence are expected not only on thework

styleofnurses

andother

healthcare

professionals, but also on their division of roles andhow to achieve efficient work. It is expected that thesecurement and retention of nurses will proceed
through these changes. In FY2019, The Japanese

making on a medium- to long-term basis so that nurses
can cater to people's needs.
Policy realization can be attained by linking andbuilding on everyday activities. Many of the issues that
we tackle have in common with global nursing issues.
Through information exchange with National Nurses
Associations (NNAs), the International Council ofNurses (ICN), and the International Confederation ofMidwives (ICM), we will promote our work toward thepolicy realization of JNA.

Analysis Results concerning Job seeking and Recruitment of Nurses based on
Data Registered with Nurse Centers* FY2017 (published on January 9, 2019)
As of 2016, the number of employed nurses in Japan is approx. 1.66 million. Further increase in this number isrequired as the aging society proceeds. In particular, demand is growing for home-visit nurses as the community
based integrated care system is being promoted.
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JNA News Release2019 March Vol.28

The Japanese Nursing Association (JNA) has summarized the results of aggregation and analysis of dataregistered with "Prefectural Nurse Centers," as a report concerning job seeking and recruitment of nurses. The
four key points in the analysis results are shared below. The full report is published on the official website of JNA
https://www.nurse-center.net/nccs/scontents/sm01/SM010801_229.html?20181203090000 （In Japanese）

 Nurse Centers
Nurse Centers were established based on the "Act on Assurance of Work Forces of Nurses and Other MedicalExperts (the Act)," which was enacted in 1992. Nurse Centers consist of the "Central Nurse Center" and the"Prefectural Nurse Centers." The "Central Nurse Center" is operated by the JNA, under designation by the Ministryof Health, Labour and Welfare. The "Prefectural Nurse Centers" are operated by Prefectural Nursing Associations,
under designation by the Governors of the Prefectures.
The "Central Nurse Center" manages and operates the free-of-charge job placement website (called e-NurseCenter), and undertakes service focused on providing support for the Prefectural Nurse Centers. In the meantime,the "Prefectural Nurse Centers" utilize information from the Central Nurse Center, and operate free-of-charge job
placement service for nurses (called nurse bank service) as measures for recruiting nursing professionals, leveraging
their strength to be located in each of the 47 prefectures. The two types of Nurse Centers operate their service throughdetailed two-way cooperation. The respective operations of the "Central Nurse Center" and the "Prefectural NurseCenters," as specified in the Act, are shared below.

Prefectural Nurse Centers(In 47 prefectures)
Central Nurse Center(Japanese Nursing Association)

Central Nurse Center (Operations)

Prefectural Nurse Centers (Operations)

1. Managing and operating a free-of-charge job

1. Free-of-charge job placement service for nurses

placement website "e-Nurse Center"(nurse bank service)Enhancing and adding functions of e-Nurse
CenterUpdating published information on seminars,

placement service on e-Nurse Centernursing schools, etc.
Responding to inquiries and consultation

service for Prefectural Nurse Centers
3. Analyzing data registered with e-Nurse Center andpreparing reports
2|Recruitment consultation service by nurse
recruitment consultantsrequests concerning the use of e-Nurse Center
2. Strengthening collaboration among, and consultation

Registration of job openings and seekers and job

Other consultation services (e.g. on career paths,mental health)

2. Holding seminars for support to return to jobs
Helping nurses who look for employment acquire
the latest nursing knowledge and skills, throughseminars to support their return to jobs

JNA News Release2019 March Vol.28

1. Job opening-to-application ratio by type of facility
 The job opening-to-application ratio was 2.36, at the same level in last year The job opening-to-application ratio at home-visit nursing stations increased to the highest level(3.78) among other types of facilities [Figure 1]
In FY2017, 159,891 jobs were offered through the Nurse Center, while 67,614 nurses sought jobs, resulting in
the job opening-to-application ratio of 2.36, with a decline by 0.04 point vs. LY (2016), remaining mostly at thesame level. No substantial change was observed in the number of nurses who found jobs at 12,119 in FY2017
and at 12,085 in LY (2016).
By type of facility, the job opening-to-application ratio was the highest for "home-visit nursing stations" at 3.78,
followed by 2.55 for "hospitals (20 to 199 beds)," 2.02 for "hospitals (200 to 499 beds)," 1.72 for "hospitals (500beds or more)," and 1.67 for "welfare facilities for the elderly requiring long-term care (tokuyo)." (Figure 1)

Figure 1. Job opening-to-application ratio by type of facility

45,000人
40,000人
35,000人
30,000人
25,000人
20,000人
15,000人

5.0倍
5.0
3.78

Job openings
Job seekers

2.55
2.02

4.0
4.0倍

1.72 1.67

3.0job opening to applicant ratio
1.50 1.39

1.13 1.13 1.11

3.0倍
2.0

2.0倍
1.0
0.80 0.73 0.70 0.63

0.43 0.34 0.33 0.30 0.30

0.20 0.16 0.15 0.05 0.04

0.0
1.0倍

0.0倍

10,000人-1.0倍

5,000人

-2.0倍

0人

-3.0倍

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JNA News Release2.

2019 March Vol.28

Present status of job seeking

 Job seekers aged 29 years or younger and those aged 60 years or older increased by more than
10% from LY (2016) [Figures 2 and 3]
Among the 67,614 job seekers, those aged 40 to 44 years took up the largest share at 16.1%, with the age groups
immediately preceding and following them (45 to 49 years and 35 to 39 years) also taking up the respectively highpercentages at 15.7% and 13.6%. These figures suggest that nurses who left their jobs for the purpose of childbirthand child-rearing, or due to difficulty in work-life balance, registered themselves again as job seekers. Job seekers
aged 60 years or older accounted for 9.9% of all job seekers with an increase by 0.9 points from 9.0% in LY (2016).
(Figure 2)
As the employment status of job seekers, 24.1% of job seekers were employed, while nearly twice as many
(45.3%) job seekers were "not employed, or were working as non-nurses" (note that, however, the employment
status was "Unknown" for approx. 30% of job seekers in all age groups). (Figure 3)
Comparing the shares of job seekers who were "not employed, or were working as non-nurses" among different
age groups, the share was the highest in "60 years or older" at 55.1%, followed by "30 to 34 years" at 48.4%. Thissuggests the necessity to establish systems for diverse work styles that promote the employment of the secondcareer generation, and enable the return of child-rearing generation to jobs (Figure 3).

Figure 2.The number of Job seekers (by age group)(FY2016 and FY2017)

FY201624 oryounger

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25 to 29

30 to 34

35 to 39

40 to 44

45 to 49

50 to 54

55 to 59

FY201760 orolder(years)

JNA News Release2019 March Vol.28

Figure 3. Employment statuses of job seekers (by age group)

Total
Total
24 or24 oryounger
25 to 29
30 to 34
35 to 39
40 to 44
45 to 49
50 to 54
55 toto 59
55
59
60 or older
Not employed, or working as non-nurses

Employed

Students (yet to be licensed as nurses)

Students (licensed as nurses)

Unknown

3. Reasons for job seekers to have left the previous jobs
 As the reasons for job seekers aged 29 years or younger to have left the previous jobs, "Own health(mainly psychological)" was high at 8.3%, after "Marriage" and "Moving," with an increase from LY(2016) [Figure 4]
The reasons for leaving the previous jobs were analyzed, limiting the scope to job seekers who were not currently
employed as nurses. The most common reasons were "Marriage," "Pregnancy and childbirth," "Moving," "Ownhealth (mainly physical)" and "Child-rearing" (excluding "Other reasons"). (Figure 4)
By age group, the most common reasons were "Own health (mainly psychological)" for job seekers aged 29
years or younger, "Child-rearing" for those aged 30 to 39 years and for 40 to 49 years, and "Health and/or care ofparents or relatives" and "Own health (mainly physical)" for those aged 50 to 59 years. This indicates that therequired retention support varies by age group.
"Own health (mainly psychological)" took up 8.3% as the reason for leaving previous jobs among job seekers
aged 29 years or younger, with an increase by 2.2 points from 6.1% in LY (2016), suggesting the necessity formental health care to support the continued working of younger-aged nurses.

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JNA News Release2019 March Vol.28

Figure 4. Reasons for job seekers to have left the previous jobs (by age group)(Five most common reasons)Figures in parentheses in the second rows are for FY 2016

4.

Conditions that job seekers prioritize in finding employment

 The conditions prioritized in finding employment are "Work hours," "Wage," and "Commuting hours" inthis order [Figure 5]
The conditions prioritized by job seekers in finding employment were "Work hours" (24.6%),"Wage" (18.4%),"Commuting hours" (16.4%), "Required nursing service" (15.9%), and "Days off" (13.0%) in this order. (Therespondents were asked to choose up to three conditions that they prioritized most.)
By the present status of employment, job seekers who were "not employed, or were working as non-nurses"
prioritized "Work hours" most at 32.0%, followed by "Commuting hours," "Wage," and "Required nursing services,"
respectively standing at approx. 20%. On the other hand, job seekers who were "working as non-nurses" prioritized"Work hours" and "Wage," both standing high at approx. 40%. (Figure 5)

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JNA News Release2019 March Vol.28

Figure 5. Conditions that job seekers prioritize in finding employment(by present status of employment)

Total

Work hours

Commutinghours

Not employed, or working as
non-nurses

Employed as nurses

Wage

Child-rearing
supportRequired
nursing
services

Days off

Careerupgrading
supportEnd of analysis results

As supplementary information, paid job placement services are commonly used by nurse and facilities in the Job
seeking and Recruitment of nurses, in addition to the Nurse Centers analyzed above.

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