Health commission stresses importance of nurses

There are 103,100 nurses in the city, or 4.24 for every 1,000 residents, higher than the national level but still lower than the average in developed countries, Shanghai Health Commission said on Wednesday, International Nurses Day.

Nurses are the important force of the health-care industry and play an essential role in the health-care service, especially during the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, the commission said.

Shanghai has been involved in improving the nursing service and introducing it into the entire health management system.

In addition to treatment, nurses have taken an increasing role in services such as disease prevention, rehabilitation, elderly care, mental care and hospices.

Local nursing professionals are also involved in clinical innovation. Each year, they apply for over 1,000 nursing-related patents.