ROI ET – The sudden death of a 30-year-old nurse during a night shift at Roi Et Hospital has sparked urgent calls from the Nurses’ Association of Thailand for systemic reforms to protect healthcare workers. The incident has highlighted longstanding concerns over excessive workloads, unsafe working hours, and inadequate support within Thailand’s public health system.

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Yuparak Sukwandee, a registered nurse assigned to a female medical ward, died from cardiac arrest while on duty Sunday night. Her death prompted a public condolence message from the hospital and drew widespread attention to the pressures faced by medical staff.

Assoc Prof Dr. Wiwat Laochai, an executive committee member of the association, described the tragedy as a “wake-up call” for the government to accelerate the passage of the Public Health Staff Protection Bill, which aims to guarantee fair working hours, improved welfare, and stronger safety measures for healthcare personnel.

“This is not only a heartbreaking loss for her family and colleagues, but also for the entire nursing profession. It is a wound to Thailand’s healthcare system,” Dr. Wiwat stated.

He emphasized that the case reflects the “silent sacrifice” of many nurses who continue working despite fatigue or illness due to chronic understaffing and heavy responsibilities. Nurses on night shifts often face intense workloads with limited resources and minimal supervision, yet are expected to make critical decisions and handle emergencies with little opportunity for rest.

Dr. Wiwat noted that Nurse Yuparak had reportedly been unwell but chose to continue working, prioritizing patients and colleagues over her own health. While such dedication is respected, he stressed it should never be normalized.

The Nurses' Association of Thailand has urged the government to take urgent action after a nurse died suddenly while working a night shift at a provincial hospital in Roi Et, underscoring long-standing concerns over excessive workloads and unfair working hours in the public… pic.twitter.com/CRDffT4TWC

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“What nurses need is not just praise or condolences after a loss, but real and sustainable systemic change,” he asserted.

The association is calling for a comprehensive review of workforce management in public hospitals, including safe nurse-to-patient ratios, regulated working hours, adequate rest periods, accessible sick leave, and enhanced physical and mental health support, especially for night-shift staff.

Currently, nurses in state hospitals are required to work at least 80 hours of overtime monthly, a figure that can be higher in understaffed facilities.

Dr. Wiwat voiced strong support for the healthcare personnel protection bill, which has already garnered more than 20,000 signatures. The draft law seeks to limit excessive overtime and ensure fairer compensation.

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Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat expressed condolences and said an investigation is underway to determine whether the nurse had underlying health conditions. He noted she had worked at the hospital for only five months. The ministry is pursuing measures to reduce workloads through technology, income adjustments, and a new regulatory framework for healthcare staff separate from civil service rules. The draft regulation is undergoing consultations before being submitted to the cabinet.

-Thailand News (TN)