Ahmad Nejatian, President of the National Nursing Organization, in an interview with the Khaneh Mellat reporter, referring to reports about private medical centers requiring nurses to commit to limiting marriage or childbirth, said: It has been heard that in some private centers, nurses are made to pledge not to get married or not to have children. These practices are illegal and unethical and must be addressed. Nurses, like any other employees, have the right to enjoy their legal and social benefits, and we absolutely do not condone such improper actions.

He added: Around 70 percent of the country’s nurses are women, most of whom are in their reproductive years, and they have the right to marry, become mothers, and benefit from their legal entitlements.

Nejatian noted: The main issue is that when nurses use maternity leave or other legal benefits, there are no replacement staff available, which results in a heavy workload for other nurses. In some hospitals, as many as 30 percent of the staff are on maternity leave simultaneously, and this shortage makes the situation even more challenging.

The President of the Nursing Organization continued: Pregnant nurses, due to the high-risk nature of clinical environments such as ICU departments, operating rooms, or units with radiation and infectious exposure, are usually removed from clinical work and transferred to administrative sections. This relocation is normal; however, in the absence of replacement staff, it places additional pressure on the healthcare system.

He emphasized: The government must establish a mechanism that allows temporary recruitment of replacement staff when a nurse goes on maternity leave, because the absence of even a single nurse in clinical settings can place significant pressure on remaining colleagues.
End of message.