JNA News Release2014 August, Vol.15

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/

The Commencement of a Training System for Nurses to Perform Specific
Medical Interventions
On June 18, 2014, the Amendatory Law to theperform only specific interventions defined in

Related Acts for Securing Comprehensive

the training system. These nurses will perform

Medical and Long-Term Care in the Community

the specific interventions across the continuum

was passed in the Diet. As a part of thisof nursing care. This is expected to result in themovement, the Act on Public Health Nurses,

provision of safe and high-quality health care.

Midwives and Nurses was revised and a

After the recommendation on the trained

Training System for Nurses to Perform Specificnurses to perform such specific interventions

Medical Interventions (hereafter, the training

made at the review meeting of the Ministry ofsystem) was established.

Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) in March

Under

thetrainingsystem,

medical2010, JNA has worked toward establishing theinterventions involving highly skilled judgment

training system that allows nurses to perform

and practice (hereafter, specific interventions)the specific interventions under the law. Withare defined. Also, the content of training

the enactment of the training system, from now

required for nurses to perform such specificon, JNA will request the government to ensureinterventions is standardized, which aims tosafety for patients and nurses and will support

develop practical understanding, thinking andnurse managers to develop an implementation

judgment, in addition to advanced professional

structure at healthcare institutions. Furthermore,knowledge and skills. With the training system,

JNA will work with the government and othernot only the safety of patients, but also thestakeholders to provide well-developed andsafety of nurses who perform the specificsystematicinterventions will be secured. However, it does

post-graduate educational institutes in order tonot mean that nurses completed this training

maximize nursing expertise.

training

incollaboration

withThe Commencement of a Notification System to Nurse Centers
By the revision of the Act on Assurance of WorkIn rapidly aging Japan, it is estimated thatForces of Nurses and Other Medical Experts, it

500,000 more nurses will be required in 2025

will be mandatory for nurses to make an effort tocompared to today. Therefore, the provision of

notify prefectural nurse centers of items specified

a working environment in which nurses are ablein MHLW ordinance in such cases as when

toleaving nursing jobs.

reinstatement process for unemployed nurses

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will be essential. JNA is working to enhancecomputing system at the nurse centers.

functions of the nurse centers in collaboration

In addition, a positive practice environment iswith Prefectural Nursing Associations and toimportant to promote the reinstatement ofprovide support for the reinstatement following

unemployed nurses. JNA will focus on anan expected increase in the registration ofimprovement of a working environment as aunemployed nurses at the nurse centers.

part of the work-life balance projects which JNA

Specifically, JNA is preparing to expand

has implemented so far.

functions by an installation of the new
What are nurse centers?
In 1992, nurse centers were established based on the Act on Assurance of Work Forces of Nurses andOther Medical Experts. The nurse centers serve for nurses and implement projects, such as free job
placement, training for re-employment, and support for home-visit nursing.
JNA is designated by MHLW to operate a central nurse center while Prefectural Nursing Associations aredesignated by prefectural governors to operate prefectural nurse centers. One prefectural nurse center islocated in each prefecture in Japan.
Free employment placement is available at prefectural nurse centers and the e-nurse center on theInternet.

A Survey of Tobacco-use among Nurses
JNA conducted a survey of our members

been declining. In this survey, the rate ofregarding the actual situation of tobacco use

smoking among nurses is lower than that of theamong nurses. In Japanese society, efforts toJapanese population, but it was also revealed

promote smoking bans and designated smoking

that an awareness of health risks from smoking

areas have been made and support for smoking

is low. JNA will continue to work to ensure that all

cessation has been reinforced. As a result, thenurses have correct knowledge about smoking

rate of smoking among Japanese has generally

and to lead toward a tobacco-free society.

Currently smokingTotal（N=3483）

Used to smoke in the past
No habitual smokingMale（n=122)

No answerFemale（n=3483)

0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
(The “total” includes 17 respondents not answered their gender.)Smoking Status among Nurses (JNA members)
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JNA News Release2014 Vol.15

Lung cancer
AsthmaBronchitis
Emphysema
Myocardial infarction
Arteriosclerosis
Aneurysm
Laryngeal cancer
Esophageal cancer
Stomach ulcer
Stomach cancer
Buerger's disease
Subarachnoid hemorrhage
Liver cancer
Infertility
Periodontal disease
Effects on pregnant womenOtitis media in infants and toddlers
SIDS
Perinatal death
0.0%

20.0%

40.0%

60.0%

[Multiple answers allowed] (N=3,483)

Awareness of Health Risks from Tobacco (cigarette-smoking)The ICM Asia Pacific Regional Conference
The International Confederation of Midwives(ICM) Asia Pacific Regional Conference 2015 is
to be held in Yokohama, Japan. The Conference,co-hostedbyJNA,

JapaneseMidwives

Association and Japan Academy of Midwifery,
will be held at Pacifico, Yokohama from July 20th(Mon) to 22nd (Wed), 2015. For details, please
visit the following website.
http://www.icmaprc2015.org/en/index.html3|

80.0%

100.0%

JNA News Release

Nursing in JapanQ Is there a renewal system for nursing licenses in Japan?
No. There is no renewal system for nursing licenses in Japan. Once a nursing license
is granted and issued, in general, it will be valid during the life of the holder. As a result,it has been difficult and challenging to grasp a whole perspective of nursing
professionals, including the total number of nursing licensees and their employment
status.
Only nursing professionals engaged in nursing practice (hereafter, practicing nursingprofessionals) are obligated by the Act on Public Health Nurses, Midwives and Nurses
to notify prefectural governors in their working regions of their employment conditions
biennially. The total number of practicing nursing professionals is reported by eachprefecture to the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW). Therefore, both
MHLW and each prefecture are aware of the number of practicing nursing
professionals. However, the actual situations of nursing professionals not engaged innursing practice (hereafter, non-practicing nursing professionals) have been unknown.
Under the current system, it has been urged to provide support relevant to needs ofnursing professionals, including non-practicing ones, and to work toward a solution fora nursing shortage amplified by a decline in the number of children and an uneven
distribution of nursing professionals.
By the revision of the Act on Assurance of Work Forces of Nurses and Other MedicalExperts (please refer to page 1 for details), a notification system is established thatobligates nursing professionals to make an effort to notify prefectural nurse centers,
regardless of their employment status, such as when leaving nursing jobs. This is notabout a renewal system, but it is expected that the newly revised Act will enable thenurse centers to secure connections with non-practicing nursing professionals and to
implement comprehensive and attentive services for reinstatement.

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