Nursing Groups Advocate for Nurse-Patient Ratio Legislation, Shih Chung-Liang Promises Announcement by Nurse's Day at the Earliest
Taiwanese nursing groups staged a large protest outside the Ministry of Health and Welfare, demanding the legislation of a 'three-shift nurse-patient ratio.' Minister Shih Chung-Liang later met with representatives and promised to announce a draft amendment by Nurse's Day (May 12th) at the earliest, with a two-year buffer period for implementation.
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- 📰 Published: May 5, 2026 at 14:50
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Central News Agency. (Reporter Shen Pei-Yao, Taipei 5th) Nursing groups today gathered over a thousand people to surround the Ministry of Health and Welfare's main entrance, expressing their demand for the 'three-shift nurse-patient ratio to be legislated before 5/20'. Minister of Health and Welfare Shih Chung-Liang did not appear directly but later met with relevant representatives, promising to announce the draft amendment by Nurse's Day (5/12) at the earliest, with a buffer period.
President Lai Ching-Te once pledged to legislate the three-shift nurse-patient ratio within two years of taking office, and the Executive Yuan passed the '12-point Strategy Plan for Nursing Manpower Policy Preparation' in July 2024, which included legislating the three-shift nurse-patient ratio within two years and achieving the target within four years. With the two-year deadline approaching, the Ministry of Health and Welfare altered its approach to amending the establishment standards, sparking dissatisfaction among the nursing community.
On the morning, nursing groups braved the heavy rain to mobilize over a thousand people to surround the Ministry of Health and Welfare, tying yellow ribbons with the words 'Three-shift nurse-patient ratio, must be legislated' and shouting slogans such as 'Legislation is urgent,' 'Nursing falls, healthcare falls, everyone falls,' and 'Reject policy stagnation.' Some group representatives even 'collapsed' to express their anger.
Cai Shufeng, Director-General of the Department of Nursing and Health Care, Ministry of Health and Welfare, appeared to receive the petition and announced that a meeting would be held on May 8th to substantially discuss the timetable for legislating the three-shift nurse-patient ratio and the standard setting.
Shih Chung-Liang later invited representatives of the petitioning groups into the Ministry of Health and Welfare for a closed-door meeting. After the meeting, Shih Chung-Liang explained to the media that he had an important meeting in the morning, which was why he chose to formally discuss and understand the demands with relevant representatives after the event.
During the meeting, relevant representatives put forward four major demands. Shih Chung-Liang noted that these included formally legislating the three-shift nurse-patient ratio, 'primarily by 5/20, but the nursing community hopes to hear good news by Nurse's Day (5/12),' and setting the three-shift nurse-patient ratio standard according to the consensus of all sectors in 2024, and related配套 measures during the buffer period.
The current three-shift nurse-patient ratio standards are: Medical Centers: Day shift 1:6, Evening shift 1:9, Night shift 1:11; Regional Hospitals: Day shift 1:7, Evening shift 1:11, Night shift 1:13; Local Hospitals: Day shift 1:10, Evening shift 1:13, Night shift 1:15. Hospitals that achieve the target early can receive more incentive payments.
Shih Chung-Liang stated that after the details are finalized at the May 8th meeting, the legislation of the three-shift nurse-patient ratio will formally enter the regulatory announcement process, which still requires legislative procedures. The draft needs to be publicly announced for 60 days before formal promulgation, and efforts will be made to expedite the timeline. If time permits, the goal is to announce it by Nurse's Day (5/12) and promulgate it by the end of July, but a buffer period will be provided for hospitals. Based on the current growth rate of nursing staff, the buffer period is estimated to be two years. (Editor: Chang Ya-Ching) 1150505
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President Lai Ching-Te once pledged to legislate the three-shift nurse-patient ratio within two years of taking office, and the Executive Yuan passed the '12-point Strategy Plan for Nursing Manpower Policy Preparation' in July 2024, which included legislating the three-shift nurse-patient ratio within two years and achieving the target within four years. With the two-year deadline approaching, the Ministry of Health and Welfare altered its approach to amending the establishment standards, sparking dissatisfaction among the nursing community.
On the morning, nursing groups braved the heavy rain to mobilize over a thousand people to surround the Ministry of Health and Welfare, tying yellow ribbons with the words 'Three-shift nurse-patient ratio, must be legislated' and shouting slogans such as 'Legislation is urgent,' 'Nursing falls, healthcare falls, everyone falls,' and 'Reject policy stagnation.' Some group representatives even 'collapsed' to express their anger.
Cai Shufeng, Director-General of the Department of Nursing and Health Care, Ministry of Health and Welfare, appeared to receive the petition and announced that a meeting would be held on May 8th to substantially discuss the timetable for legislating the three-shift nurse-patient ratio and the standard setting.
Shih Chung-Liang later invited representatives of the petitioning groups into the Ministry of Health and Welfare for a closed-door meeting. After the meeting, Shih Chung-Liang explained to the media that he had an important meeting in the morning, which was why he chose to formally discuss and understand the demands with relevant representatives after the event.
During the meeting, relevant representatives put forward four major demands. Shih Chung-Liang noted that these included formally legislating the three-shift nurse-patient ratio, 'primarily by 5/20, but the nursing community hopes to hear good news by Nurse's Day (5/12),' and setting the three-shift nurse-patient ratio standard according to the consensus of all sectors in 2024, and related配套 measures during the buffer period.
The current three-shift nurse-patient ratio standards are: Medical Centers: Day shift 1:6, Evening shift 1:9, Night shift 1:11; Regional Hospitals: Day shift 1:7, Evening shift 1:11, Night shift 1:13; Local Hospitals: Day shift 1:10, Evening shift 1:13, Night shift 1:15. Hospitals that achieve the target early can receive more incentive payments.
Shih Chung-Liang stated that after the details are finalized at the May 8th meeting, the legislation of the three-shift nurse-patient ratio will formally enter the regulatory announcement process, which still requires legislative procedures. The draft needs to be publicly announced for 60 days before formal promulgation, and efforts will be made to expedite the timeline. If time permits, the goal is to announce it by Nurse's Day (5/12) and promulgate it by the end of July, but a buffer period will be provided for hospitals. Based on the current growth rate of nursing staff, the buffer period is estimated to be two years. (Editor: Chang Ya-Ching) 1150505
Choose to stand with facts. Every sponsorship is a force to protect press freedom.
Download the Central News Agency's 'First-hand News' App to stay updated with the latest information.
Text, images, and videos on this website may not be reproduced, publicly broadcast, or publicly transmitted and used without authorization.