[단독] Even though I give up to 270,000 won a day, I can’t find a’corona caregiver’

About 50 patients with novel coronavirus infection (Corona 19) are hospitalized in hospital A in the central region. Most of the patients need medical care. 7 nursing care workers in charge of nursing care are on duty at this hospital. Seven people take care of them in three shifts in the morning, afternoon, and late night. The nursing care provider is a team with one nurse and two nursing assistants, with dozens of patients per team.

The nursing care provider stands next to the patient to prepare meals and check the stool and urine. Ward management and environmental cleanup are also his job. Sweat stretches through the protective clothing. Yun-mo, a nursing care worker in her 50s, who has 10 years of experience, said, “It’s really hard because my hands are scarce. (Don’t) It has meaning in that it is caring for a patient with Corona 19.”

Like Hospital A, many hospitals across the country have insufficient manpower to care for Corona 19 patients. However, it is difficult to obtain compensation even if you pay close to 300,000 won per day, including risk allowances and accommodation fees. It is because he is afraid of the corona 19 infection that he may not know. In addition, about half of nursing care workers are in their 60s or older, who are at high risk of Corona 19, and there are high concerns about overwork and infection risk.

According to the’Recruitment Status of Caregivers for Supporting Care for Corona 19 Patients, etc.’, which Rep. Cho Min-hee Cho received from the Central Accident Control Center on the 22nd, it was found that only 17 carers gathered for nearly a month. In their 30s and 50s, there were 5 carers, 4 in their 20s, and 3 in their 40s. By gender, 10 women and 7 men.

The recruitment of dispatched caregivers from Jung Soo-bon began on the 23rd of last month. The government has imposed conditions of supporting 110,000 to 160,000 won per day, including risk allowances. Room and board costs are applied differently from region to region. Seoul costs 110,000 won a day, metropolitan cities such as Busan and Daegu cost 100,000 won, and cities and provinces cost 90,000 won. You can receive up to 270,000 won per day. Compared to the daily caregiver’s daily rate, it is high.

Caregivers dispatched to the heavy water plant wear Level D-level protective clothing. Therefore, there is no need for a two-week self-isolation period following the end of dispatch. If the person wishes to self-isolate for less than two weeks, a basic working allowance of 60,000 won per day is also paid. That means you can get more than 1 million won again.

However, despite these’unconventional conditions’, the number of applicants was less than 20. Corona 19 infection concerns are considered the biggest factor. An official from the National Association of Nursing Care Workers said, “Not only are there many people in their 60s or older who belong to the high-risk group, and they seem to be worried and anxious about the infection, remembering their children, grandchildren, and granddaughters.”

Hwang Mo (68, female), a nursing care worker, said, “I am seventy years old. It is also doubtful that he has the immunity to overcome the coronavirus.” Mr. Hwang said, “Nurses and doctors go back and forth with patients, but we are still stuck next to them. do. If you were in your 50s, you would have a desire to apply, but your family will not be able to see you.”

Some say that recruitment of caregivers was not properly promoted. “There are parts like financial support that haven’t been properly promoted,” said Yoon’s care guard at Chungcheong A Hospital.

Due to the circumstances, there is no room to support even a nursing hospital dedicated to Corona 19. According to Clinic Cho Joong-hee, dedicated nursing hospitals are scheduled to be operated in two places in Seoul, two in Incheon, and one in Busan and Ulsan. When a patient with Corona 19 occurs in a nursing hospital or nursing home, the government plans to send it to the hospital for treatment. However, it is currently unclear to what extent the caregiver can be supported.

Therefore, each hospital in charge of each hospital is looking for caregivers through personal connections around the director. A hospital dedicated to Corona 19 in Pyeongtaek saved more than 20 caregivers through nearby churches. If you don’t get it like this, the nurse has to do two roles per person, including treatment and nursing care. Nurses complain, “It is still a limit.”

An official from Jung Soo-bon said, “In the case of nursing attorneys, it is difficult to recruit at the central government unit because of the thick local network, and it is difficult to raise the allowance even more due to the issue of equity between the existing caregivers and dispatched personnel.”

Rep. Cho Myung-hee said, “The lack of nursing staff will lead to an increased burden on the medical field and the situation will worsen as nursing hospitals are pushed into the blind spot for quarantine.” , It is necessary to prepare measures by adjusting the cost of nursing care.”

Reporters Minwook Kim and Woorim Lee [email protected]