Taipei: The compliance rate of the required nurse-to-patient ratio on overnight shifts at medical centers across Taiwan rose significantly in January from the monthly average last year, according to Health Minister Chiu Tai-yuan. Despite the current shortage of nurses, the ratio increased from a monthly average of 30-40 percent in 2024 to 63 percent in January this year at medical centers, which are at the top of Taiwan's three-tier hospital classification system, Chiu said Saturday.
According to Focus Taiwan, the nurse-to-patient ratios for Taiwan's 23 top-tier medical centers were established in March 2024. The ratios are set at 1:6 for day shifts, 1:9 for night shifts, and 1:11 for overnight shifts, as per the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW). In Taiwan, day shifts for nurses typically run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., night shifts from 4 p.m. to midnight, and overnight shifts from midnight to 8 a.m.
Chiu stated that there were 193,503 nurses working in Taiwan's private and public health care facilities as of February, marking an annual increase of 3,531. In hospitals alone, the annual increase was 1,433, but a gap still remains to be filled. As of January, the overall compliance rates for the required nurse-to-patient ratio were 59 percent at medical centers; 49 percent at regional hospitals, which are second tier; and 86 percent at district hospitals, the third-tier health facilities.
Chiu emphasized that to address the increasing demand for nursing care, the MOHW will continue to strengthen its nursing workforce policies to retain nursing staff. As part of the government's efforts, NT$3.82 billion (US$115.89 million) in incentives has been disbursed over the past year to help meet the required nurse-to-patient ratios, including at hospitals on overnight shifts. An amount of NT$6.69 billion has also been allocated for nurse-targeted incentive programs in 2025, which will be launched once the budget is approved, the health minister added.