Taiwan Enshrines Three-Shift Nurse-to-Patient Ratio into Law, Effective May 2028

Amendments to the Medical Care Act have been passed by Taiwan's Legislative Yuan, officially mandating a three-shift nurse-to-patient ratio. The Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) announced that the regulation will be implemented on May 1, 2028. This decision followed discussions involving nursing and medical groups. The law specifies initial ratios based on the March 1, 2024 standards: 1:6 for day shifts, 1:9 for evening shifts, and 1:11 for night shifts in medical centers. Regional hospitals will have ratios of 1:7 (day), 1:11 (evening), and 1:13 (night), while district hospitals will have 1:10 (day), 1:13 (evening), and 1:15 (night). While nursing groups initially pushed for a December 2025 implementation, the MOHW proposed May 2028, citing the need for a transition period to address nursing workforce shortages and the impact of the aging population and low birth rate. The government has allocated NT$27.5 billion for nursing workforce development initiatives from 2025 to 2028, including night shift subsidies and performance-based rewards to improve retention and quality of care.