The shortage of nursing staff remains unresolved. Recently, the Public Hospital Association suggested that the retirement age of critical care nurses should be considered to be extended to 64 years old. The National Federation of Nurse Practitioners and Nurses Associations also agreed to provide flexibility for nurses to extend the retirement age. Yu Zhongren, president of National Taiwan University Hospital, and Chen Weiming, president of Beirong, also agreed. The Ministry of Health and Welfare stated that such adjustment of standards involves the rights and interests of nursing staff. If all walks of life reach a consensus on the adjustment plan, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will carefully evaluate it.
You can voluntarily retire early at the age of 55 and retire at the age of 60.
If nurses in public hospitals work three shifts and often encounter dangerous events that endanger physical and mental health or life safety, they can be regarded as "hazardous labor nurses" according to relevant regulations. They can voluntarily retire early at the age of 55, and 60 is the retirement age. Under the current situation, many public hospital nurses will choose to retire early at the age of 55 and continue to serve in other units.
However, in the face of the shortage of nursing manpower, Chen Weiming, chairman of the Public Hospital Association and president of Pak Wing, suggested that nearly 70% of the nurses in Pak Wing are in the public sector. Not only do they not retire early at the age of fifty-five, but they also want to continue to serve in the hospital when they are sixty years old. In the future, space may be provided to allow nurses to serve in public hospitals until they are sixty-four years old before retiring.
The National Federation of Nurse Practitioners and Nurses Association also stated that the Federation supports increasing the flexibility of independent choices for nurses. While retaining the original rights of voluntary retirement at the age of 55, it allows nurses to decide the time of retirement. Those who are willing can postpone retirement to the age of 64. This does not affect the existing retirement salary rights and provides nurses with room for choice. However, it emphasizes that it is by no means a universal postponement to retire at the age of 64.
Yu Zhongren further explained that if public nurses are willing to stay in public hospitals for a longer period of time, it will also be helpful to cultivate the next generation. There is indeed room for discussion on whether to postpone the retirement of public nurses. In current medical practice, there are also many nurses who return to the hospital with part-time work after retirement. Although they may not necessarily serve the original unit, after all, they have a certain degree of familiarity with hospital operations and provide the hospital with considerable help.
Department of Care: Collect opinions from various groups
Chen Qingmei, deputy director of the Department of Nursing of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, explained that the Ministry of Health and Welfare will further understand the opinions of various groups, including the opinions of nurse groups and public hospitals. If there is a consensus on the adjustment plan in the future, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will further discuss it. Such adjustment of standards involves the rights and interests of nursing staff, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare must carefully evaluate it.
