Nursing crisis: effects & solutions

The shortage of skilled workers is especially noticeable in one industry in particular: nursing. This is also referred to as the nursing crisis. On the one hand, the shortage of skilled workers is particularly acute in nursing; on the other hand, there are already especially large numbers of skilled workers from abroad in this sector.  

In this article, you can find out what impact the nursing crisis is having and what solutions there are.

The reasons for the nursing crisis, as with the shortage of skilled workers, are demographic change in Germany and the lack of attractiveness of nursing professions.

The baby boomer generation saw a particularly high birth rate and are now contributing to an ageing society. This means that more and more workers are needed in the nursing-care sector while, at the same time, a large number of people are currently reaching retirement age and leaving the labour market within a very short period of time. The younger generations, with their lower birth rates, are not able to close this gap.

In addition, nursing professions have long since lost their attractiveness. A high workload, low salaries, shift work – many young people today decide against training in nursing. And those who do work as nursing-care professionals are often dissatisfied, decide to retrain or to look for other – more flexible – jobs.  

Flexibility is an increasingly important topic – especially for working mothers. The lack of flexibility in the nursing professions means that many women are unable to return to work after the birth of their children. This is fatal because it is primarily women that sustain the nursing-care industry. According to a study by the Federal Employment Agency*, just over four out of five employees in the care sector are women. At the same time, more women than men still take on the majority of childcare and family duties. Night shifts, early and late shifts, day shifts – the rigid work-hour model of shift work is simply not feasible for many families and especially single mothers. Work-hour models that offer more flexibility are a necessity here.

The effects of the nursing crisis are clearly noticeable, especially for people who work in this field or are dependent on care.  

Work in the nursing professions has changed a lot over the years. There are fewer and fewer staff and more and more duties. It is often the case that the number of people to be cared for in a given period of time is much higher today than a few years ago. This leads to overwork, sick leave and resignations, which in turn leads to even more extra shifts and overtime. Moreover, the remuneration is not commensurate with the burden and responsibility borne in the nursing profession. This all leads to job dissatisfaction, and fewer and fewer people want to work in the nursing sector. For some time now, skilled workers from abroad have been providing a remedy here. If this were not the case, virtually no care facility would be able to keep going.

But it is also patients and residents that suffer from the shortage of staff. While those living in long-term care facilities still receive the necessary nursing and medical care, there is often little time left over for the human factor, for conversations and special attention. This often affects old people in particular, some of whom become lonely in nursing homes.

But what solutions are there to counteract the nursing crisis? On the one hand, the professional nursing staff quota of 50 percent has been softened, meaning that more nursing assistants can now be employed. They are allowed to assist in basic care, measure blood sugar, give medication, help patients with getting dressed, etc. This is intended to relieve the burden on nursing staff, who can concentrate on all the tasks that only they are allowed to do.

The focus should also continue to be on skilled workers from abroad. The nursing-care sector is the best example of how well this can work and what an important contribution skilled workers from abroad can make to our society. Today, it is impossible to imagine the nursing-care industry without them. Because without them, staffing in every care facility would be spread precariously thin and maintaining services rendered impossible.

Source:  

*Federal Employment Agency Statistics