Survey: 6 in 10 South Korean Nurses Experience Abuse, 72% Seek to Leave Jobs

A recent survey released by the Korean Health and Medical Workers' Union paints a grim picture of the working conditions faced by nurses in South Korea, revealing alarming rates of verbal abuse and neglected basic needs. The findings, released on the occasion of International Nurses Day, indicate that a staggering 62.3% of nurses have endured verbal abuse from patients, their families, or even doctors within the past year. Furthermore, a majority (65.5%) reported skipping meals at least once a week while on duty, a stark indicator of the intense pressure and lack of adequate breaks in their demanding profession.

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Nurses are experiencing high-risk conditions simultaneously due to understaffing, dissatisfaction with workload, skipping meals, and experiencing verbal abuse, making it difficult to sustain normal work.

These harsh realities are contributing to a high level of job dissatisfaction, with 72.1% of nurses expressing a desire to leave their current positions. This figure is notably higher than the average for other healthcare professionals surveyed, underscoring the critical challenges within the nursing sector. The primary reasons cited for this high turnover intention are poor working conditions, largely attributed to chronic understaffing, followed by low wages and a negative workplace culture.

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The nurse staffing issue is directly linked to patient safety and the quality of medical services. Standards for the appropriate number of patients a nurse can handle must be established, and penalties for violating institutions must be strengthened.

The report underscores a vicious cycle: understaffing leads to increased patient loads per nurse, exceeding legal limits in many cases, which in turn results in burnout and a desire to quit. Experts like Professor Kim Jin-hyun from Seoul National University emphasize that the nurse-to-patient ratio is directly linked to patient safety and the quality of medical services. The Hankyoreh believes that addressing this crisis requires not only strengthening regulations against understaffing and enforcing penalties for non-compliant medical institutions but also fostering a more supportive and respectful environment for these essential healthcare professionals. The current situation is unsustainable and demands urgent attention from policymakers and hospital administrators alike.

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I often can't eat during my shift because I work three shifts. There are many days when I can't eat, so I intentionally don't drink water.