January 24, 2024

A nationwide network of civil groups working to prevent power harassment of nursing students on January 23 submitted to the government over 30,000 signatures calling for government measures to protect students from abuse of power in medical institutions and schools.

Former House of Representatives member of the Japanese Communist Party Saito Kazuko and JCP Chiba Prefectural Assembly member Miwa Yumi joined this action.

The network on this day released the results of its online questionnaire survey to nursing students. The survey found that nursing students become overwhelmed mentally and physically with the experience of power harassment, such as denial of their dignity, verbal abuse, and neglect, at educational institutions and during internship.

The network head, Takahashi Hiroki, whose son, a nursing student, had committed suicide after experiencing power harassment during his clinical placement, demanded that the government prevent a recurrence of such a tragedy by implementing measures including conducting a fact-finding survey, providing a consultation service to victims, and setting anti-harassment guidelines.

A female nurse educator, who took part in the submission, pointed out that amid the shortage of nurses, nursing students drop out of their course of study unwillingly due to power harassment, which ultimately harms the interests of the society.