A chronic shortage of trained nurses is threatening patient
safety, China's Ministry of Health has warned ahead of the
International Nurse Day, which falls on May 12.
The number of nurses in China had risen from 1.3 million in 2004
to nearly 1.35 million by the end of 2005 and the nursing quality
and technical levels had also improved as well, said a ministry
statement.
However, many areas still suffered a severe shortage of nurses,
especially in clinical departments, which posed a potential threat
to patient safety, according to a survey of more than 400 hospitals
quoted in the statement.
Comprehensive hospitals had an average of one nurse to every
three beds, with the lowest ratio at one nurse to four beds, the
survey showed.
Experts have also warned that most nurses are working in big
cities, while rural and western regions are in desperate need of
nurses.
China had one nurse per 1,000 people, a far lower ratio than the
international average of four to five per thousand, said Huang
Renjian, president of the Chinese Nursing Society.
The ministry has urged local health authorities to promote the
International Nurse Day.
The theme this year is "Safe staffing saves lives,"
demonstrating how numbers and technical competence of nurses are
crucial for patients and calling for shorter working days and
better training.
The International Nurse Day was established by the International
Council of Nurses to mark the birthday of Florence Nightingale, a
military nurse from the United Kingdom, who pioneered modern
nursing techniques.
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(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2006)