– It is not a question. Being a nurse is a big physical and mental burden, says head nurse Herman Kranstad in Drammen municipality. Unfortunately, he is in short supply in a profession that is crying out for recruitment. There are more and more elderly and sick people in the country. The shortage of nurses is still so great that both nursing homes and home care services are completely dependent on unskilled people to make the wheels of Noreg AS go round. Just as it was said and announced almost 20 years ago. Nursing crisis 1 in 5 nurses quit after 10 years in the profession There is a shortage of 7,000 nurses today. The shortage of nurses in 2035 is estimated to be 28,000. (Source: Sykepleien) – The problem is that when you do not have the health education that we want everyone to have, it is more difficult to detect and assess the condition of the patient, says Linda Lavik, leader of the nurses’ association in Viken. She says that those who will work in the municipal health service must be health workers with a professional certificate, or nurses or social workers. Linda Lavik, leader of the nurses’ association in Viken. Photo: Henning Rønhovde / news But it is not like that. And in practice this is difficult to implement. Lavik says that around 20 per cent of the shifts are now planned with employees without a healthcare background or expertise. – But in practice we see that perhaps as much as 30 to 40 per cent of the shifts end up being filled by unskilled workers. Therefore, the Norwegian Nurses’ Association wants the question of a staffing standard that sets requirements for competence to be put on the agenda. Herman Kranstad in conversation with one of the residents at Saniteten. Photo: Henning Rønhovde / news Collection of medicines. Photo: Henning Rønhovde / news Kjerkol catches the interest of residents. Photo: Henning Rønhovde / news Special health worker Hamid Nassaj and head nurse Herman Kranstad. Photo: Henning Rønhovde / news – Decision-making with the right expertise In the wake of the Brennpunkt documentary on major discrepancies in care for the elderly, Minister of Health and Care Ingvild Kjerkol said that this must be resolved in teams. Furthermore, she said that the municipalities together with the state must contribute by training enough personnel. But that it is the municipality’s responsibility. Kjerkol explains to news today that good care for the elderly is just as important to her as it is to those who manage the municipalities in the country. – I take seriously that there are variations between our municipalities. There are 356 mayors in Norway. They come from different parties, have different demographics and different types of services. What they all have in common is that they must and must deal with the fact that we are getting older, says the minister. Minister of Health and Care Ingvild Kjerkol. She believes that the state and the municipality must work together for full-time positions and good staffing, so that there is an equal offer across the country. – When we are to improve the care and health care the elderly need, we must start with the professionals. It is crucial that they have the right skills, that they have time for the individual and that they have enough colleagues, says Kjerkol and continues. – We have presented our own escalation plan for full-time positions and good staffing in the care service. The plan will help ensure enough professionals with the right skills in the care service. – We have also looked at the Health Personnel Commission, which, among other things, will point to structural changes that can reduce part-time use. In the summer, we will present our elderly reform, which will, among other things, strengthen home care services, and at the same time establish our own housing program for the elderly, so that we can better meet the changes in society going forward. Too many unskilled The fact that one in five nurses leaves the profession after 10 years means that many municipalities are unable to fill the shifts with only nurses and healthcare workers. In Drammen municipality, they are struggling to fill up the rotations with qualified employees. – We always have a starting point where we want to have healthcare personnel. But holidays, absences and challenging situations mean that we have to use nursing staff and assistants, says municipal manager for home services and institutions in Drammen municipality, Sudhir Sharma. – What about the staffing standard that the nurses’ union wants? – Staffing standards are great. Standardization in services is great. But at the same time, it will not be an answer to the challenges that will come and that everything is present, believes Sharma. Sudhir Sharma and Linda Lavik. Photo: Henning Rønhovde / news Wants to do what he is trained to do Nurse Herman Kranstad has no count of how many kilometers he covers during a shift at the Saniteten building and service center in Drammen. The center has storage facilities for 65 people who all need their own. Kranstad runs through the corridors and up and down the stairs in the nursing home. – For example, if I forget to make coffee, it is easier for me to prioritize and see a patient who is on the last side, who needs palliative medication. Herman points out that nurses must be allowed to do what they are trained to do, whether it is in a nursing home or in home care. – For me, it means that I can stand longer in the profession, concludes Kranstad.
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Dependent on unskilled workers in elderly care
