Summary: Health personnel in Bokn municipality get to decide when they want to work, which has led to better recruitment and well-being. At the care center in Bokn, everyone can work full-time if they wish, by taking long shifts at weekends. There is a great shortage of both nurses and health professionals in Norway, but Bokn municipality has experienced more applicants following the introduction of long shifts and annual rotation. Both the Norwegian Nurses’ Association (NSF) and the Trade Union are positive that the employees are allowed to decide the rotation themselves. The use of long shifts has increased from 21 to 44 per cent from 2018 to 2022, but it is still unclear what the effect of long shifts is on healthcare personnel. At Bokn Sjukestove, the management is concerned that long shifts should be voluntary. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAI. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. – For me it has been very important, says Therese Våge Kristoffersen. She works as a nurse at the care center in Bokn municipality in Rogaland. – I have a husband who travels a lot for work, so it suits me well that I can arrange my rotation in relation to that, says Kristoffersen. At the care centre, among other things, everyone can work full-time if they wish. This happens by being able to take long shifts at weekends. The long shifts last 13.5 hours. This means that the employees work every fourth instead of every third weekend. Nurse Therese Våge Kristoffersen believes it is important to be able to decide for herself when she will work. Photo: Rosa Irén Villalobos / news – It means a lot that there is stable staffing and that we are guaranteed nurses and health professionals on all shifts, says Kristoffersen. Ranveig Foss Øvrebø is a nursing assistant and has worked at the center in Bokn for almost 25 years. She works long shifts at weekends. This means that she works every fourth weekend instead of every third. – It is extremely important to be able to take part in the decision, she says. The employees and the management put together a rotation for a year ahead. Here, all employees can come up with their preferred schedule if they know when they need time off. – We try to make arrangements for everyone, says unit manager at Bokn sjukestove May Lisbeth Bosvik Fiskaaen. What is required is 13 working weekends a year if you work long shifts (13.5 hours). Go a normal shifts (7.5 hours), work a 17 weekends. Lack of people There is a great shortage of both nurses and health professionals in Norway. The management at the care center in Bokn municipality has also experienced this. – We notice that we get more applicants for the positions after we started with long shifts and annual rotation, says unit manager May Lisbeth Bosvik Fiskaaen. Unit manager May Lisbeth Bosvik Fiskaaen at the Bokn hospital. She also notices that people from other municipalities are applying. – There is a shortage of health personnel and we have to think again, she says. According to NAV’s company survey from May this year, there is a shortage of 4,300 nurses, specialist nurses and midwives. In addition, the health service lacks 3,100 health professionals. And it will get worse in the years to come. A report from Statistics Norway (SSB) shows that, in the worst case, there will be a shortage of 30,000 nurses and 24,000 health professionals in Norway in 2040. Can produce results Both the Norwegian Nurses’ Association (NSF) and the Trade Union are positive that the employees can help decide the rotation themselves . – It is good that the employees are involved. When you have an influence on how the rotation is set up, there can also be a better balance between working life and private life, says head of the Trade Union, Mette Nord. Leader of the Trade Union, Mette Nord, is positive that the employees can help decide their own rotation. Photo: Peder Bergholt / news She still believes that this requires that sufficient time is actually set aside for this. – So that you feel that you are involved in the rotation scheme, she says. NSF believes that participation in one’s own working time leads to better recruitment. – And generally speaking, this is connected to several other things. Among other things, a good professional environment and a salary that is commensurate with responsibility and workload, says county manager of NSF Rogaland, And Hølland Riise. Doubling of long shifts Because there can be a certain strain on long shifts. – Shift work is in itself a potential burden and health risk, says researcher Hilde Hoff Bernstrøm at Oslo Met. She has been researching rotations for several years. Hilde Hoff Bernstrøm is researching, among other things, rotations at Oslo Met. Photo: © Eivind Røhne The use of long shifts has increased from 21 to 44 per cent from 2018 to 2022. This shows a research report that Berstrøm has helped prepare. – But there has not been enough research into the effect of long shifts in Norway yet, says Bergstrøm. The participants are thus divided in their answer. Bergstrøm believes that influencing one’s own rotation can be good. – It can have a protective effect on health consequences as a result of rotations, but it will not remove the risk, says the researcher. Bokn municipality has introduced long shifts at the care centre. But it must be voluntary. Photo: Rosa Irén Villalobos / news Want to avoid coercion At Bokn sjukestove, the management is concerned that long shifts should be voluntary. – Many are satisfied, but not all. It is important that this does not become coercion, says unit manager May Lisbeth Bosvik Fiskaaen. Assistant nurse Ranveig Foss Øvrebø agrees. – The employees must not feel forced to agree to a shift with long shifts, she says. Øvrebø is also deputy mayor for Ap in the municipality. Hi! Do you have input on this matter? Or perhaps you have tips for other matters? Feel free to send me an email! Published 07.10.2024, at 16.02
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Bokn municipality is successful in allowing employees to decide when they want to work – news Rogaland – Local news, TV and radio
