Nurses Return To Fill Labor Shortage In Japan
The Japanese Nursing Association says about 1,000 retired nurses have returned to work to fill a manpower shortage caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Since April, the association has been asking about 50,000 retired registered nurses, practical nurses and health care workers to return to work.
As of Monday, 996 had returned, filling roughly 60 percent of some 1,600 job openings at hospitals and local governments. About 40 percent of them were assigned to lodgings for patients with mild symptoms.
The association says there is no immediate need for more medical personnel at the moment, but it will offer job training for returnees in case there is another outbreak.
Association President Fukui Toshiko says they will prepare so as to prevent a collapse of the medical system. She is asking the public to cooperate in ensuring the safety of medical personnel.
