A Study on the Nursing Profession as Stipulated by Health & Medical Laws of Korea

Kim, Eun Young

Abstract

The purpose of the study is to find out how laws related to the nursing profession can be improved by analyzing the rules and regulations concerning nursing. Furthermore, to help settle legal matters in the process of doing nursing work. The data used for the study are the Health and Medical Act, the Maternal and Child Health Act, the School Health Act, the Special Act for Health and Medical Service in Rural Areas, the Industrial Health & Safety Act and the Notice on Nursing Professional Courses analyzed by age and content. The results of the study are as follows : First, basic nursing practice includes "nursing care for recuperation and assistance in medical treatment and in special areas including the pre-vention of disease, maintenance of health, control of environment, and other therapeutic activities. It is suggested that the phrase "assistance in medical treatment" should be eliminated as it limits the basic nursing practice to the assistance of the medical treatment. Second, Article 56 of the Health & Medical Act prescribes a special nurse but it does not prescribe a specific job. Accordingly, the new provison concerning the specific jobs of a special nurse should be added or a job guide should be inseated. Third, it is prescribed that those who have completed the training course after obtaining a license are qualified to be a midwife, a special nurse and a nurse practitioner working in special areas. However, school nurses, occupational health nurses and maternal and health workers are required to obtain a nurse license, but not to take an additional training course. Nurses working in special areas should be legally recognized as nurse specialists. The regulations to control various qualification standards consistently should be established. Fourth, the qualifications and types of nurses by area prescribed by Article 54 of the Health and Medical Act are not consistent with those of special nurses as recognized by affiliated organizations of the Korean Nurse Association and some hospitals. Accordingly, the qualifications and types of special nurses should be adjusted in consideration of special nurses. Fifth, as Article 16, Paragraph 2 of the Health and Medical Act does not prescribe the type and scope of first - aid treatment that nurses can provide, the first-aid treatment of nurses might be considered as an unlicensed practice. The specific regulations regarding these matters should be established. Sixth, the contents of the nursing record, which are prescribed by Article 21 of the Health and Medical Act as a duty, include 1) matters concerning body temperature, pulse, breath and blood pressure 2) matters concerning drug prescription 3) matters concerning input and output 4) matters concerning the treatment and nursing care (Article 17 of the Enforcement Regulations, Health and Medical Act). However, these matters are limited to basic nursing care and assistance in medical treatment. The new recording methods on nursing process are suggested to be adopted legally. Seventh, the prescription right entrusted to nurses which are prescribed by the School Health Act, the Special Act on Health and Medical Service for Rural Areas, and the Industrial Health and Safety Act are not consistent with the rights of nurses as prescribed by the Health and Medical Act. New regulations prescribing the partial right for medical treatment entrusted to nurses in consideration of the restraint of time and place in emergency situations should be established.

A Study on the Nursing Profession as Stipulated by Health & Medical Laws of Korea

Abstract

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