[News Today] 4 WORKDAYS HELP RETAIN NURSES

[LEAD]

Last month, a nurse diagnosed with breast cancer after nearly 20 years of irregular night shifts had her condition recognized as an occupational disease. Meanwhile, a major domestic hospital trialled a four-day workweek for many nurses frequently facing shift work and overtime. What changes have emerged over the year? We take a look.

[REPORT]
This hospital started a four-day workweek pilot program for nurses last year as part of its labor-management agreement.

Nurse Kim Jae-hee, a mother of three, chose to work four days a week as her oldest child started elementary school this year.

Her pay was reduced by about 10% but she is very satisfied as she could care for her child without taking childcare leave.

Kim Jae-hee/ Nurse working 4 days a week
I noticed I often got frustrated with my children due to lack of sleep and
disrupted biorhythm. But that happens much less now.

Nurse Lee Min-ae in her 3rd year of service also chose to work four days a week after her health deteriorated while working in shifts.

Now that she is better off both physically and mentally, she can now seek out new activities and challenges instead of just resting at home.

Lee Min-ae/ Nurse working 4 days a week
I want to try out pilates or study English. I go on blind dates to start a romantic
relationship which I never had time for.

It's been a year since the four-day workweek program was introduced.
The hospital ward which saw a resignation rate of 34% for nurses with less than three years of experience, lost no nurses at all in the past year and both the nurses' level of happiness and work-life balance index have increased as they enjoyed more leisure time on their off days.

Kim Jong-jin/ Dir., Korea Worker Institute & Union Center
If this system reduces unemployment and dropout rates, it could save socioeconomic costs of employment insurance fund. It may be the time to examine the expansion.

The nurses' attitude toward patients and their guardians also improved considerably as well.

Lee Min-ae/ Nurse working 4 days a week
I could care for the patients more sensitively. I'm not as easily agitated as before.

The hospital expanded the program to include fifty nurses this year, but also called for government support on the cost of hiring replacement nurses for the program to expand.