New nurse Park Hae-young (pseudonym) often finds herself unable to leave her station easily, constantly watching senior nurses’ reactions.
Even minor mistakes are met with sighs or sharp remarks, creating a tense atmosphere throughout the ward. Though hospitals are places meant to save lives, for some workers, they become places where simply enduring each day is a struggle.
It is a snapshot of the long-standing “taeum” culture in the nursing profession -- a term used to describe workplace bullying and harsh hierarchical abuse among nurses. The word literally means “burning until ashes remain,” reflecting the intense pressure placed on junior nurses. In 2018, 2019, and 2021, some newly employed nurses died by suicide following alleged workplace bullying incidents, triggering widespread public outrage.
It has been revealed that a culture of hazing still exists in the nursing profession, with reports suggesting that staff shortages are the primary cause. (Produced by KBR with Gemini)
The social impact was significant enough to prompt the implementation of South Korea’s workplace anti-bullying law under Article 76-3 of the Labor Standards Act, as well as proposals for the so-called “Three Anti-Taeum Bills,” which sought amendments to the Medical Service Act, Labor Standards Act, and Equal Employment Opportunity Act.
Despite ongoing discussions on institutional reforms, however, nurses say taeum culture remains deeply rooted in clinical settings. Nurses interviewed by Korea Biomedical Review said bullying is not limited to newly hired staff. Experienced nurses with years of service also reported witnessing or experiencing verbal abuse, public humiliation, excessive work control, and workplace ostracism. They argued that structural problems continue to fuel the cycle.
They said, ‘Because of you, the patient died’
A nurse in her third year, identified as Nurse A, said she had been subjected to remarks, such as, “Because of you, the patient died,” and “Why are you even alive?”
“I’ve also seen third- and fourth-year nurses throw alcohol swabs or waste bins at new nurses,” she said.
An eighth-year nurse, Nurse B, said, “Humiliating someone or yelling at them in front of many people is almost routine.”
Nurse C, who has worked for 11 years, recalled a case in which a senior nurse publicly posted an A4 sheet listing mistakes made by a colleague on her first day of work on the nurses' station board.
“That nurse was not even a newcomer — she was already in her third year,” Nurse C said.
A 13-year veteran nurse, Nurse D, said senior nurses often nitpick trivial details or deliberately ignore responses during shift handovers.
“Even after the handover ends, some continue calling or messaging through KakaoTalk to argue over every little issue,” she added.
Fear rather than education drives nurses to quit
Frontline nurses stressed that the problem extends beyond interpersonal conflict. They said constant stress and fear undermine concentration at work and often lead to transfers or resignations.
“If I made even a small mistake, gossip would immediately begin behind my back — or directly in front of me,” Nurse A said. “I worked in constant tension.”
Nurse D said watching colleagues become targets of taeum created fear and guilt. “I was scared they might treat me the same way, and I felt sorry that I couldn’t help,” she said. “That stress was overwhelming.”
Nurse B said the fear eventually pushed her to resign. “When I saw the main perpetrators, I felt afraid and avoided working with them,” she said. “The stress eventually led me to quit.”
Nurse C also said the anxiety became unbearable. “Whenever I was scheduled to work with that person, I experienced tremendous stress beforehand,” she said. “It wasn’t the only reason, but it had a major influence on my decision to leave.”
Structural causes point to 'chronic staff shortages'
The Korean Nursing Association has launched initiatives to prevent taeum and support nurses’ mental health.
In January last year, the association introduced an online mental health assessment program for nurses and provided psychological counseling to those classified as “high-risk” or “serious-risk” groups. It also launched counseling support programs for newly hired, experienced, and returning-to-workforce nurse managers, while emphasizing the need to improve workplace culture.
Still, many nurses argue that counseling support alone cannot eliminate the deeply ingrained culture. They say hospitals must also improve working conditions by increasing staffing levels, ensuring adequate training and adjustment periods, and reducing workloads.
According to a September 2025 survey conducted by the Korean Nursing Association involving 788 nurses on human rights violations in the profession, 69.3 percent of respondents said improving working conditions through increased staffing was the most urgent task for protecting nurses’ rights.
“When new nurses are properly trained and become fully capable of performing independently, only then should they be expected to work on their own — but that often doesn’t happen,” Nurse A said. “I think staff shortages are causing these problems.”
Nurse D similarly pointed to both individual behavior and systemic problems.
“Some perpetrators justify their actions as part of education,” she said. “But staff shortages are also one of the reasons this culture continues.”
Kim Jung-hyun
댓글
0