The story of Jan Berg made an impression on the politicians who took part in the election broadcast on NRK1 from Trondheim on Wednesday evening. news has followed him through a year at the nursing home. His wife Sonja struggled to get in touch with her Parkinson’s-stricken husband. He didn’t want to eat anything in particular and often injured himself. After news took up the case, the number of carers on duty was doubled in the evening and at night. From one to two, and Jan began to eat. The municipality cannot guarantee that the additional carer will pass. A staffing standard should now be introduced which ensures that there is a certain number of nurses and others at work in nursing homes. That requirement comes from both SV and the Norwegian Nurses’ Association. Both Conservative leader Erna Solberg and the Labor Party’s health policy spokeswoman, Cecilie Myrseth, say no to the proposal. Weird difference A norm has been introduced for both teachers and nursery staff which ensures a minimum staffing, but the same does not apply in Norwegian nursing homes. – We already have a staffing standard for schools and kindergartens, and that is very good. It is incredibly strange that it is not seen in context. This is what union leader Lill Sverresdatter Larsen says in the Norwegian Nurses’ Association and is supported by SV. – Why should it be different for health services and care for the elderly, says Sverresdatter Larsen. Why the staffing standard for teachers, but not for nurses, asks union leader Lill Sverresdatter Larsen of the Norwegian Nurses’ Association. Photo: Ismail Burak Akkan / news Labor Party is critical of new staffing norm The Labor Party’s health policy spokeswoman, Cecilie Myrseth, saw news’s TV report about Jan at the nursing home in Trondheim, who got an extra employee on the ward. But Ap is critical of a staffing standard that states how many people must be on duty at all times. – I do not believe that a single form is suitable for all Norwegian municipalities. We have different municipalities, different needs, and I think that locally you are best at finding out exactly what type of personnel you need in your department, says Myrseth. She says that they have to focus on increasing basic staffing. – The biggest challenge for most Norwegian municipalities is that you cannot get hold of professionals. You can advertise positions, but you can’t get hold of them. So we have to make sure that there are more professionals available and that they want to be in the service, says Myrseth. Health policy spokeswoman for Ap, Cecilie Myrseth. Photo: news Høyre secures norm for teachers Høyre leader Erna Solberg says no to introducing a staffing norm in Norwegian nursing homes and thus a requirement for a minimum number of employees at work at all times. The previous government and the Conservative Party helped introduce such a norm for teachers. – If you have a staffing standard, it becomes very strict for each department, instead of you having the flexibility to fill up with more people when someone gets much worse, says Solberg. Today, the requirement is that there must be adequate staffing in nursing homes. – It is a statutory task to ensure adequate staffing. And then you have to have the flexibility to be able to organize differently, says the leader of the Conservative Party. Both schools and kindergartens have been given staffing standards Staffing standards have been introduced in primary schools in Norway, and it was adopted by the Storting in 2017. In first to fourth grade, a teacher must not be responsible for more than 15 pupils, for example. Staffing standards have been introduced in kindergartens in Norway from 2018. The municipalities must set aside enough money for this. Source: Directorate of Education Leader of the Conservative Party, Erna Solberg, secured staffing standards for teachers, but says no to doing the same in nursing homes. Photo: William Jobling / news Wants to investigate staffing standards Deputy leader of SV, Marian Hussein shares the view of the Norwegian Nurses Association, and wants a standard that ensures both more and more differentiated employees. “Ultimately, it’s about what we can do to reduce the burden that healthcare personnel have reported,” she says. The party has so far not received support in the Storting for the proposal to investigate the possibility of a staffing standard in Norwegian nursing homes. – We have a shortage of health personnel and employees who speak up about the burden. Many people have left the profession and we see declining numbers of applicants, so action must be taken. Staffing standards can be one of the solutions, says SV’s deputy chairman. Svs deputy head Marian Hussein. Photo: news
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Requires staffing standards in elderly care – news Trøndelag – Local news, TV and radio
