Bangkok: The representative of dialysis nurses filed a request to the Administrative Court to revoke the announcement of the Ministry of Public Health. Representatives of dialysis nurses filed a lawsuit with the Administrative Court, requesting the revocation of the Ministry of Public Health’s announcement, fearing that it would affect the profession and kidney disease patients nationwide due to the new training schedule, a single course, with a high cost of 40,000 baht, causing a severe shortage of nurses.
According to Thai News Agency, a group of dialysis nurse representatives from public and private hospitals nationwide, led by Ms. Pirawan, the head nurse specializing in hemodialysis at a hospital in Samut Prakan Province, filed a lawsuit against the Nursing Council and the Ministry of Public Health. They are requesting the revocation of the Ministry of Public Health’s announcement on measures for providing hemodialysis services in hospitals, Issue 2, dated February 11, 2025. This announcement requires Level 1 nursing and midwifery professionals to undergo hemodialysis training from an institution certified by the Nursing Council. As a result, more than 1,000 kidney nurses who completed the hemodialysis training under the old curriculum were not registered as hemodialysis substitute nurses because the Nursing Council did not certify them, causing them to suffer from being legally licensed kidney nurses, affecting the treatment of a large number of kidney patients nationwide.
Ms. Pirawan stated that they, along with more than 500 fellow nurses, filed a petition with the Administrative Court to request the court to consider revoking and hold an emergency hearing. They seek an order to suspend the enforcement of the said Ministry of Public Health announcement until the court has a verdict. Furthermore, they request that the Nursing Council certify the practice of alternative medicine for dialysis in the original curriculum so that nurses nationwide can perform their duties in accordance with the law. Ms. Pirawan emphasized that if the announcement is not revoked, dialysis nurses in many hospitals and provinces will not be able to perform their duties due to non-compliance with the law. Although the Kidney Association and the Nursing Council claim that nurses in the original curriculum will undergo additional training to comply with the criteria set by the Nursing Council, in reality, there is only one additional training curriculum available. It is offered in one place, accepting 25
0 people per class at a time, with a tuition fee of 40,000 baht per person, which must be paid by the nurses themselves.
More than a thousand nurses are required to take this course, even though the Kidney Association already organizes training to develop professional skills for kidney disease nurses every month. Additionally, work in the hospital remains a priority, as some hospitals have only two dialysis nurses. If they have to attend training, it will affect patients who need dialysis regularly. Ms. Pirawan expressed that professional nurses are seeking solutions through the court to ensure they can continue their work without disruption.
Ms. Pirawan, who has been a nurse specializing in dialysis for 19 years, stressed the shortage of qualified nurses in her field. She highlighted that only 500 nurses are accepted per year, which is insufficient to meet the demand of more than 80,000 kidney disease patients nationwide who require dialysis. According to regulations, there should be 1 nurse for every 4 patients, yet there is a shortfall of 10,000-20,000 nurses. Ms. Pirawan warned that if current nurses stop working and the production of new nurses remains inadequate, kidney centers may have to close, severely impacting patients. However, she insisted that the intent is not to use patients as leverage but rather to address the risks nurses face due to potential legal issues. She questioned why the Ministry of Public Health has imposed such conditions and urged for understanding from those working tirelessly for kidney disease patients.
Ms. Pirawan concluded by expressing the need for the court to revoke the announcement and ease regulations so they can work properly. She advocated for proper dialysis nursing training and certification by experts from the Dialysis Association, enabling them to receive the necessary medical license.
In response to the Minister of Public Health’s offer to mediate, Ms. Pirawan said she would wait to see his proposal. She appealed for compassion and understanding, noting the dedication nurses have consistently shown to their patients.