Abstract
The purposes of this article are to analyze the change and geographic distribution of nursing manpower in Taiwan and to elucidate the influence of a medical network plan on the geographic distribution of nursing manpower. Methods: First, the total number of nursing professionals and the relevant Gini index are calculated. Second, a time series, combined with the model proposed by Box and Tiao, is applied to understand the geographic distribution of nursing professionals in Taiwan. Results: The population per nurse has declined from 1,443 in 1976 to 280 in 2000, indicating that the supply of nursing manpower has greatly increased. Additionally, the proportion of nurses to doctors has increased from 0.898 in 1976 to 1.899 in 2000. The structure of the manpower has changed. The geographic distribution of nursing manpower in urban and rural areas has also significantly improved by 2.25% following the implementation of the medical network plan. Conclusions: Both the supply and the geographic distribution of nursing manpower have improved. The enforcement of health policy is one possible means of equalizing the geographic distribution of nursing manpower.
| Translated title of the contribution | Exploring Geographic Distribution of Nursing Manpower in Taiwan (1976-2000) |
|---|---|
| Original language | Chinese (Traditional) |
| Pages (from-to) | 97-107 |
| Number of pages | 11 |
| Journal | 醫護科技學刊 |
| Volume | 6 |
| Issue number | 2 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Apr 2004 |
