JNA News Release2009 Vol.1

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/index.html

President’s Message
I have entered the third term of my presidency.

Over the past four years in office, I

have continuously advocated and made every effort toward a reform in the basic
nursing education, which was finally addressed by policymakers and resulted in theenactment in July of a bill for the partial revision of the Act on Public Health Nurses,Midwives and Nurses, and the Act on Assurance of Work Forces of Nurses andOther Medical Experts.

Nursing is capable of exercising its power and meetingpeople’s expectations in all health care-related sectors, including medicine, publichealth, welfare and nursing care.

JNA will continue to pursue its mission ofproviding safe and secure health care services to people in the era of uncertainty
that dominates society in the midst of global economic crisis.
Vigorous international activities are slated for 2009.

Following the ICN 24th Quadrennial Congress in June, the1st Japan, China and Korea Nursing Conference had held in August, jointly by the nursing associations of thesethree countries. Japan and China have held joint nursing conferences since 1991 and, after having the 10th
Conference in 2006, started reviewing on introducing nurses from other Asian countries and reached thethree-party joint conference of this year. We hope that this will become a great opportunity for us to have a viewof today’s desirable nursing in Japan, taking account of the global nursing trends.
President Setsuko Hisatsune

Reform of Basic Nursing Education for the first time in 60 years
In July 2009, a bill for the partial revision of the Act on

unchanged for sixty years.

Public Health Nurses, Midwives and Nurses was

educational system is required in proportion to theenacted.

The term of education for public healthresponsibilities of nurses in a multidisciplinary teamnurses and midwives was extended from six months

care and collaboration between public health, healthto at least one year, while graduation from a four-year

care and welfare because the present basic educationcollege was listed in the first place of qualification foris not balanced with educational systems for othertaking the National Examination for Nurses.

related job areas.

TheAlso, a more suitable

At the same time, in the social

revised act takes effect in April 2010.

context of declining birthrate and increasing youth

JNA has made efforts toward ensuring basic nursing

population opting colleges, nursing schools haveeducation at four-year colleges and extending thereceived

term of education for public health nurses andcapacities since 1997.

midwives from six months to two years.

trainees would fall short of requirement.

Although thefewerstudents

thantheiradmission

If this trend continues, nurseThe recent

contents of basic education for nurses has expanded,revision made it clear that education at four-year

the basic nursing education system has been left

colleges would become the basis of nurse education.

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JNA News Release2009 Vol.1

Now that a legal framework has been established forholding review meetings to discuss desirable nursing

basic nursing education reform, specific actions are toeducation.

be taken.

movement effectively leads to the system reform.

Relevant ministries and agencies areIt is strongly requested that thisClinical Training System
In July 2009, a bill for the partial revision of the Act oninterim summary report of the Ministry’s review

Assurance of Work Forces of Nurses and Other

meeting suggested the review of basic nursing

Medical Experts was enacted, together with the bill foreducation, and also pointing out the necessity forrevising the Act on Public Health Nurses, Midwives

training to novice nursing staff in March 2009.

and Nurses, which modified the terms of basic nursing

present, the MHLW is working on the formulation ofeducation. The revised act requires that efforts must

guidelines for novice nurses’ clinical training at thebe taken to ensure post-graduation clinical training

review meeting.

Atand other activities by employers.
According to a survey conducted by JNA in 2006,

Nurse Politician in Japan

most nursing students were recognized that theyIn the recent enactment of the bill for the partial

could practice only 18 out of the 80 basic clinicalrevision of the Act on Public Health Nurses, Midwives

nursing skills and techniques by themselves at theand Nurses, and the Act on Assurance of Work

time of graduation.

According to another survey

Forces of Nurses and Other Medical Experts, the Diet

conducted by JNA in 2007, the annual turnover rate ofmembers who are nurses played an essential role. Innurses stood at 12.4%, and that of novice nurses atorder to provide high quality nursing services, JNA

9.2%.

JNA has advocated the establishment of a

has advocated basic nursing education reform. Twoclinical training system toward filling the gap between

Diet members, who served as representatives ofclinical services needs and their knowledge and skills

Japanese nurses, led extensive promotion to otherobtained from the school training, and the retention oflawmakers in collaboration with prefectural nursing

novice nurses. These efforts have led to the recent

associations and Japan Nursing Federation. Sixteen

revision of the act.

Diet members established a council on nursing issues

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW)

in support of our goal, and launched a project teamundertook a model project of clinical trainings for

towardnovice nurses at 39 hospitals across Japan in FY2008.

movements contributed substantially to the realization

They also provided a training program to instructors ofof this revision.

novice nurses at 22 hospitals in the same year.

lawmaker-initiated

TheDr. Masako Kanai-Pak join ICN Board of Directors
At the Council of National Representatives of theInternational Council of Nurses (ICN), held in Durban,
South Africa, Dr. Masako Kanai-Pak, recommended
by Japanese Nursing Association, was elected as amember of the Board of Directors. Her term of office isup until 2013.
Dr. Kanai is a specialist in nursing labor, particularly inthe study and research of how to improve the2|legislation.

These

News Topics in JapanJNA News Releaseworking environments for nurses including labor conditions in Japan

Philippine Nurses

and the world.

On May 10, Philippine nurse candidates

As shortage of nurses is apprehended around the2009 Vol.1

world, Dr. Kanai’s contribution grounded on her expertise isarrivedexpected.

Japan-Philippines Economic Partnership

Dr. Kanai’s manifesto is as follows:Agreement. They will take Japanese

1. Making one voice of nurses; I will be a bridge between ICN andlanguage training for six months before

NNAs with Biannual newsletters and Interview

inJapanbasedontheworking at hospitals and studying toward

2. Strengthen the nurse workforce globallythe obtainment of Japanese qualification
as a nurse. Candidates must return home

Nursing in Japan

unlesstheypass

Japan’sNational

Examination for Nurses within three

FAQ by Japanese Nurses ;years of coming to Japan.
Does any document specify health care practices that nurses
are entitled to do?

Nursing Role

Only the Act on Public Health Nurses, Midwives and Nurses has
provisions concerning the activities of nurses, which are stipulated
as “to take care of people who is under medical treatment” and “toassist medical treatment” (Articles 5 and 6 of the Act). No document
lists specific procedures and actions that nurses are entitled to take.

On May 19, Prime Minister Taro Asomentioned the expansion of nurses’ rolesat the Council on Economic and Fiscal
Policy, and instructed a specific review onpros and cons and conditions of nurses
to conduct some medical procedures inArticle 17 of the Medical Practitioners Act states that only physicians
may do medical practices. Medical activities comprise 1) highly
risky activities that physicians or dentists must always do bythemselves (“absolute medical activities”), and 2) activities thatnurses etc. may do under the order, direction and supervision ofphysicians and dentists (“relative medical activities”).

“To assist

line with the current situation in Japan.
At this point, the introduction of Nurse
Practitioner system and extended use of
Certified Nurse Specialists and Certified
Nurses are being examined toward theexpansion of nurses’ roles.

medical treatment” that nurses are entitled to provide is limited tothe range of medical activities indicated in 2).

Also, attention mustbe paid to ensure that nurses have competency in knowledge andskills, are ready to take emergency actions, and sufficient informed
consent to the patient.

Furthermore, careful consideration isrequired in terms of ethical perspectives, as well as competency ofnurses, status of health care facilities and so on.

Education to become Public Health
NursesOn June 25, a review meeting of theMinistry of Education, Culture, Sports,
Science and Technology presented adraft report that suggests excluding theeducation to become public health nurse,

In case of incident or accident, nurses are held responsible for theadverse events, physicians for the orders that they gave, and healthcare facilities for the relevant administration.
each medical institution

It is desirable that

discuss and document the range andresponsibilities of medical activities to be ordered from physicians tonurses.

which is the requirement to graduate fromnursing colleges now, and making therelevant education optional.

In the near

future, each college will select either tocompose its undergraduate curriculumwith nursing education only or to include
a public health nurse course into its

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nursing curriculum.