[Editorial] Stop the controversial nursing act

Hordes of medical doctors, nursing assistants and clinical pathology technicians hit the street to protest over the weekend. They oppose a separate nursing law that has been submitted for a vote at the National Assembly. They vow to go on a strike if the bill is made into a law. The conflict within the medical community over the new act is boiling over since it started to simmer last fall.

Doctors oppose the law as they worry that nurses will fall out of their command and become independent in their medical practice. The bill motioned by a nurse-turned-lawmaker two years ago called for an expansion of the concept of nursing to “the caring needed for medical diagnosis and treatment” from the current “assistance to medical diagnosis and treatment” as defined in the Medical Act. The Korea Medical Association warned of possible confusion in the medical system if nurses are allowed to visit patients on their own to diagnose and treat them when needed.

The bill which bypassed the Legislation and Judiciary Committee has kept the original definition of nursing to be “complementary” treatment under the supervision of doctors. The biggest sticking point has been removed. But the doctors’ association protests the provision in the bill, which allows medical institutions and local governments to stipulate regulations needed to provide quality nursing benefits to patients. They worry that local governments can make their own provisions to enable nurses to carry out medical practices independently. Doctors may be overreacting, but still the possibility is not entirely groundless.

Nursing assistants oppose the provision about their role of falling under the supervision of licensed nurses. Clinical pathology technicians fear the possibility of nurses infringing on their role. The bill can be contentious in many ways. Many in the medical community cannot understand why a separate nursing law is necessary even though the Medical Act is already there.

Yet the bill has not been rigorously discussed at a standing committee. The Democratic Party (DP) has fast-tracked it without clear grounds. If the bill passes the plenary session, it can only be vetoed by President Yoon Suk Yeol. If the president does not veto, the DP will take the credit — and if the president vetoes the bill, the DP will accuse him of disrespecting the legislature.

Nurses could also take collective protest action. The DP has been railroading with the so-called “yellow envelope act” and the grains management law. But political lawmaking by a majority party will be judged by the voters in elections. The DP must stop the voting in a plenary session of the legislature and clearly justify the cause of the legislation to the public.