Comparison of Nursing
Education in Japan and China
July 3rd. 2024
Meijie Sang
Visting Researcher,
Department of International Research Center for Medical Education
Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo

Introduction
With the intensification of population aging and the improvement of social
medical needs, nursing education has received unprecedented attention inthe world.
Here, I will compare the differences between the nursing education in
Japan and China, and analyze their respective characteristics andadvantages, especially the reform and future development direction ofnursing education in China.

Topics
1. Nursing System2. Basic Nursing Education and Contents
3. Development of Nursing University Education and Graduate Education
4. Improvements in Credentials

Topics
1. Nursing System

Development of Modern Nursing
In Japan,In China,• Modern nursing developed rapidly with the• Modern nursing education can be traced back to 1888

introduction of Western medicine in 1868.

with the establishment of the first nursing school at• The beginning of nursing education system dates
back to 1874 and the establishment of the “Isei”

Fuzhou, Fujian province (Gao et al., 2012).
• Most nursing educations was suspended during themedical regulation, which provided for the education

Cultural Revolution (1966-1976). Short training courses

and licensing of midwives, and marked the start ofwere adopted to fill the gap.

their training.
• In 1885, the first nurse-training institute wasestablished, and modern nursing education began.

• Until the early 1980s, all nursing education programs
were 3-year diploma programs in secondary nursingschools.
• The 3-year advanced diploma programs and the 4- or
5-year baccalaureate programs in college anduniversity began to appear since the 1980s.

Nursing Qualification
In order to become a nursing professional, it is necessary to......
Japan

China

Completing basic nursing education

Completing basic nursing education

Passing the national public health nursing, midwifery,or nursing examinations, then obtaining a license(national qualification) from the Minister of Health,Labour and Welfare (MHLW)

Passing the nurse licensing examinationby the Ministry of Health responsible for theorganization and implementation, then obtaining alicense (national qualification)

Licensure: Lifelong, without a renewal system.

Licensure: valid for 5 years, applying to the originalregistration department for renewal of registration 30
days before the expiration date.

Occupations Involved in the Provision ofNursing Care
In Japan,In China,• Public Health Nurse• Midwife• Midwife• Nurse• NurseTopics

2. Basic Nursing Education and Contents

Basic Nursing Education (in Japan)

Contents of Basic Nursing Education (inJapan)

Basic Nursing Education (in China)
Graduate frommiddle school

Nursing school,3-year（Secondarydiploma）

College/University, 3-year（Advanced diploma）

Graduate fromhigh school

College/University, 4-year(Bachelor of Science) / 5year (bachelor of medicine)

At least 1 year of
professional experience

At least 1 year ofprofessional experience

Nationalnursing
examination

NursesContents of Basic Nursing Education (inChina)• In 2007, the Ministry of Education established the Guiding Committee for Nursing Teaching incolleges and universities, and formulated documents such as "Professional Norms for Undergraduate
Nursing" and "Standards for Undergraduate Medical Education - Nursing Specialty".

• In 2011, the Academic Degrees Committee of The State Council officially approved nursing as a firstlevel discipline under the medical department.

• In 2019, the Ministry of Education established the Nursing Professional Certification Working
Committee.

Standards for Undergraduate Medical
Education - Nursing Specialty (in China)
Education Contents
Public Foundation Courses

Ideological and political theory, computer, foreign language, politics,
philosophy, law, sports, military theory, etc

Basic Medical Courses

Human anatomy, physiology, Histoembryology, biochemistry,
Medical immunology, pathogenic biology, pathology, pharmacology,
medical statistics, etc

Nursing Professional Courses

Fundamentals of nursing, Health assessment, Internal Medicine
Nursing, Surgical Nursing, Obstetrics and Gynecology nursing,pediatric nursing, geriatric nursing, acute and critical care nursing,
Psychiatric nursing, community nursing, nursing research, as wellas integrated courses and clinical internships that include these

Nursing Humanities and Social
Sciences Courses

Nursing ethics, nursing psychology, nursing management, nursing
education, interpersonal communication and etiquette, etc

Nursing Professional PracticeInternal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics,
emergency department, intensive care unit, psychiatry, community
health service center, etc

CreditHours/Weeks≥40 weeksUndergraduate Education of Nursing
Major in University of Traditional ChineseMedicine (in China)
In addition to the above, also.......
Education Contents
Basic course of Chinese medicine

Introduction to traditional Chinese medicine (Including Traditional
Chinese Medicine foundation, Traditional Chinese Medicine diagnosis,
drug administration, prescription and so on)

Traditional Chinese Medicine nursing
basic course

Basis of nursing of traditional Chinese medicine (Including the basic
knowledge of Traditional Chinese Medicine nursing and the basic
technology of Traditional Chinese Medicine nursing)

Traditional Chinese Medicine nursing
specialty courseClinical nursing of traditional Chinese medicine (Including Traditional
Chinese Medicine internal medicine nursing, Traditional Chinese
Medicine surgical nursing, Traditional Chinese Medicine gynecology
nursing, Traditional Chinese Medicine pediatric nursing and so)

Nursing practice of traditional Chinese
medicine

Special department of traditional Chinese medicine

CreditHours/Weeks

180～300 credit hours≥ 4 weeks

From “Standards for Undergraduate Medical Education - Nursing Specialty”

Professional Norms for Undergraduate
Nursing (in China)
CourseCredit Hours

CourseCreditHours

Basic Nursing

Minimum：144（72 theory，72 training）
Maximum：180（90 theory，90 training）

Nursing Ethics

18

Health assessment

Minimum：72（54 theory，18 training）
Maximum：108（72 theory，36 training）

Nursing Psychology

24Internal Medicine
Nursing

Minimum：140（100 theory，40 training）
Maximum：200（136 theory，64 training）

Nursing
Management

24

Surgical Nursing

Minimum：108（72 theory，36 training）
Nursing Education
Maximum：168（108 theory，60 training）

18

Obstetrics andGynecology nursing

Minimum：64（46 theory，18 training）
Maximum：99（66 theory，33 training）

Nursing Research

18

Pediatric nursing

Minimum：58（40 theory，18 training）
Maximum：86（56 theory，30 training）Community Nursing

24

Psychiatric nursing

Minimum：24（20 theory，4 training）
Maximum：42（34 theory，8theory: 16training）
Credit Hours=1 credit; training: 30 Credit Hours=1 credit

Persons in Charge• Professional Personnel Training Program：• Professional supervisor system（formulation, demonstration, revision,implementation......)• Course Outline：• Course supervisor system (course content, course hours, teachingmethods......)
After completing the courses specified in the program andpassing the examinations, the students can take nursing
qualification examination and graduate from University.

Topics

3. Development of Nursing University Education and Graduate Education

Development of Nursing University
Education and Graduate Education (inJapan)

Development of Nursing University
Education and Graduate Education (inChina)•

China has 216 baccalaureate programs offering initial nursing education in 2012 (You et al., 2015).

•

China has 261 baccalaureate programs offering initial nursing education in 2017.

•

China has 306 baccalaureate programs offering initial nursing education in 2023.
2010~2019 China Graduate Nursing Education programyear

masterdoctorate

programs

graduates

programs

graduates

201027130

40201152208

40201257253

7720135727779201457305

918201559437

11102016

73675

1612201728201930

Topics

4. Improvements in Credentials

Current System in Credentials（in Japan)• Clinical Training for Newly Graduated Nursing Personnel• Training System for nurses performing specific interventions

Assistance for Improvements in Credentials（in Japan)• Continuing education• Establishment of a system supporting lifelong learning• Training of highly specialized nurses

Current System in Credentials（in China)•

Clinical Training for Newly Graduated Nursing Personnel in Western medicine hospital

From National Health and Family Planning Commission General Office，2016

Current System in Credentials（in China)•Clinical Training for Newly Graduated Nursing Personnel in Traditinal chinese medicine hospitalAssistance for Improvements inCredentials（in China)• Continuing education• Mandatory continuing nursing education(MCNE) was instituted in 1996 to support healthcare
reform, including producing greater equity in health-care.
• Each nurse is required to complete 25 credits per year by participating in the program.

• Training of highly specialized nurses• to improve the collaboration ability of the care team. Within the healthcare team, specialist
nurses work closely with doctors, other nurses and other relevant professionals to provide
comprehensive care to patients.

Summary
1. Compared with Japan, nursing education in China started late and developed slowly.
2. The educational contents were set down using the same criteria, regardless of theeducational institution type in Japan. But no complete unified criteria in China.
3. In recent years, the university nursing education and graduate nursing education in Japanand China have shown a rapid development trend.
4. Both Japan and China have new nurse training systems, and also provide assistance tocontinuing education, lifelong education, and specialized education.

Suggestion for Nursing Education Reformin China
1. Improving the criteria of contents and credits of basic nursing education, including
secondary and tertiary education.

2. Establishing and developing public health nursing specialty to improve the response
capacity in public health services, such as disease prevention, health promotion,
infectious disease prevention and control, community care, and response to publichealth emergencies.