Nursing Education in Japan

Credentialing system

In Japan, the qualification of public health nurses, midwives, nurses and assistant nurses is stipulated by law, while the certification of specialized nurses is not specified by law. Although many organizations and societies certify such personnel, credentialing system by JNA is socially recognized and appreciated.

This credentialing system by JNA, intended to offer quality healthcare to citizens, certificates the following three; certified nurse specialists, certified nurses and certified nurse administrators.

Certified nurse specialists

Certified nurse specialist (CNS) system is designed to contribute to the development of healthcare and welfare as well as to improve nursing science by forwarding CNSs with specific advanced nursing knowledge and skills into society to provide high-level nursing care efficiently for individuals, families and groups having complex and intractable nursing problems.

The roles of CNSs are excellent nursing practice, consultation with care providers including nurses, coordination among the concerned parties, ethical coordination to protect the rights of individuals, etc., education of nursing personnel, and research activities at clinical settings. A nurse is certified as a CNS by completing a master's program at a graduate school after obtaining a national license for nurses, and then passing the credentialing examination given by JNA after accumulating a certain amount of experience. It is required to renew the certification every five years.

Certified nurses

Certified nurse (CN) system is designed to diffuse quality nursing care at nursing sites by forwarding CNs who can provide high-level nursing practice, using skilled nursing expertise in specific nursing fields, into society.
The roles of CNs are nursing practice at high level, instruction of nurses, and consultation with nurses.
A nurse is certified as a CN by accumulating a certain amount of experience after obtaining a national license for nurses, and then passing the credentialing examination given by JNA after completing the required education program for certification. It is required to renew the certification every five years.

Certified nurse administrators

Certified nurse administrator (CNA) system is designed to provide quality organizational nursing services to individuals, families and local residents with diversified healthcare needs, establish frameworks for training of CNAs meeting certain standards, help to maintain and improve the quality of CNAs and the standard of nursing, and thereby contribute to the development of healthcare and welfare.

A nurse is certified as a CNA by accumulating a certain amount of experience after obtaining a national qualification for nurses, and then passing the credentialing examination given by JNA after completing a master's program at a graduate school or an education program for certification. It is also required to renew the certification every five years. As of December 2020, 4,551 nurses are certified as CNA.

Table 3: Number of certified nurse specialists by field (as of December 2020)
Field Registered number
Cancer Nursing 946
Psychiatric Mental Health Nursing 364
Community Health Nursing 27
Gerontological Nursing 206
Child Health Nursing 279
Women's Health Nursing 87
Chronic Care Nursing 230
Critical Care Nursing 311
Infection Control Nursing 90
Family Health Nursing 73
Home Care Nursing 87
Genetic Nursing 11
Disaster Nursing 22
Total 2,733
Table 4: Number of certified nurses by field (as of December 2020)
Field Registered number
Emergency Nursing 1,342
Wound, Ostomy and Continence Nursing 2,581
Intensive Care 1,225
Palliative Care 2,557
Cancer Chemotherapy Nursing 1,691
Cancer Pain Management Nursing 771
Visiting Nursing 679
Infection Control 2,977
Diabetes Nursing 930
Infertility Nursing 178
Neonatal Intensive Care 441
Dialysis Nursing 286
Perioperative Nursing 690
Breast Cancer Nursing 371
Dysphagia Nursing 1,038
Pediatric Emergency Nursing 262
Dementia Nursing 1,878
Stroke Rehabilitation Nursing 782
Radiation Therapy Nursing 356
Chronic Respiratory Nursing 340
Chronic Heart Failure Nursing 472
Total 21,847

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