In Japan, nursing qualifications include assistant nurses, registered nurses, public health nurses, and midwives. On the other hand, in the United States, nursing roles are broadly classified into three categories: licensed practical nurses, registered nurses, and advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs), with further specialization based on education and expertise. Both of my roommates are APRNs, known for their high level of specialization in nursing. One holds the position of Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNS), allowing them to diagnose and prescribe medication for patients in specific areas. The other is a Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA), capable of administering anesthesia and requiring knowledge equivalent to that of pharmacists or physicians to provide treatments to patients. Based on conversations with my roommates, I have gained the impression that nursing roles in American hospitals are highly specialized. When recounting my experience of being hospitalized in Japan, where nurses provided a wide range of care including administering IVs, drawing blood, serving meals, and changing sheets, they expressed astonishment. In American hospitals, tasks such as blood drawing are performed by phlebotomists, and specialized professionals known as respiratory therapists attend to patients on ventilators. Furthermore, my roommates emphasized the risks associated with performing tasks outside of one’s specialization in a high-stakes environment where errors are not tolerated. They explained that there is a growing emphasis on creating work environments for healthcare professionals, including nurses, that prioritize both the well-being of the workforce and the prevention of mistakes to ensure the delivery of necessary services to patients. Regarding the wages of travel nurses, it appears that they vary depending on the location of work, specialization, and years of experience. The median salary for nurses was $113,930 annually as of 2018. According to data released by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, the average annual income for nurses in Japan in 2019 was approximately ¥4.83 million, indicating a significant disparity. In addition to the income gap, travel nurses in the United States often receive housing allowances and assistance with living expenses (similar to scholarships), which are frequently tax-exempt, leading to a tendency for higher wages compared to positions held by general nurses. Furthermore, since the onset of the pandemic, with the increasing demand for nurses, the average weekly earnings for travel nurses have nearly doubled, according to a survey conducted by the healthcare staffing platform NurseFly. In the state of Washington, where I reside, the increase was approximately 90%. In Japan, the occupation of “travel nurse” might not be commonly heard of, but in the United States, it refers to nurses who temporarily work in areas of high demand, leveraging specific knowledge and experience to provide high-quality care to patients. 11 Comparison of Nursing Practices between Japan and the United StatesYuika Ikeda University of WashingtonParticularly, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which induced a crisis in staffing across the United States, there was a significant surge in demand for travel nurses.Comparison of Nursing Practices between Japan and the United States
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