Keep 42-hour work week for nurses, govt urged
Four unions, including three medical groups, have urged the government to maintain the current 42-hour work week for nurses and abandon plans to increase it to 45 hours.
In a statement, the Malayan Nurses Union, Sabah Medical Services Union, Sarawak Medical Services Union, and the Labour Solidarity and Learning Resources Association said the government should instead consider reducing nurses’ work week to 40 hours.
The groups also welcomed the Health Ministry’s appeal for a moratorium on the implementation of the 45-hour work week.
They warned that longer working hours would take a toll on already overburdened healthcare workers.
“Increasing working hours will affect the quality of healthcare services.
“The nursing workforce will be at risk of mental fatigue, burnout, and medical liability if they are forced to work longer hours.”
They cited a study by University of Toronto academic Katherine Scott-Marshall, which found that the risk of negligence rises by 34 per cent when nurses work eight-hour shifts.
Additionally, nurses working more than 40 hours a week face a 50 per cent higher probability of making errors.
The unions also highlighted that the 45-hour work week contradicts the Employment Amendment Act, which aims to reduce working hours.
They urged the government to address the shortage of nurses by allocating more funds to hire additional staff.
They also called for higher wages to curb brain drain, noting that Malaysian nurses receive some of the lowest salaries in Southeast Asia.
It was previously reported that the Health Ministry was in discussions with the Public Service Department on the 45-hour work week issue.
Category: MJN enews
