The case in summary: The obstetrics department at the University Hospital of Northern Norway in Tromsø has prepared to avoid another summer of chaos. The hospital has divided the employees into three pools for holiday processing. The Norwegian Midwives’ Association is skeptical of the tripartite division. The government has identified four focus areas to reduce the work pressure on midwives. This is how they hope that fewer midwives quit. The summary is made by an AI service from OpenAi. The content is quality assured by news’s journalists before publication. It’s summer and holiday time, and summer staffing has started at the country’s maternity wards. Last year, midwives described chaos at the University Hospital of Northern Norway in Tromsø in the summer. Several women told iTromsø about giving birth in a break room and pain relief with a bucket of ice cubes. A baby died in the busiest week. This case is still being investigated by the Norwegian Health Inspectorate, to determine the cause of death. The hospital has taken action, says section leader at the maternity ward, Anita Linnerud-Vågeng. – We have taken the feedback very seriously, and improved staffing throughout the summer and throughout the year. Three pools of holiday The hospital has worked hard to recruit midwives in unfilled positions, and they are now seeing the effect of the educational positions they recruited for two years ago. They have upgraded the equipment park in the maternity ward, so that the staff’s daily work life is easier. They have trained on scenarios with many people giving birth at the same time. And soon a fifth delivery room will be available, says Linnerud-Vågeng. – We have much more robust duty schedules this year. We feel more confident about getting started this summer, and are well prepared. Last year, the holiday settlement was carried out in two pools, this year we will do it in three. This means that the employees are divided into three pools from week 25 to 35. The first and last can take four weeks’ holiday, while the middle pool can take three. The hospital also wanted a three-part solution last year, but it was voted down by the employees. Board member of the Norwegian Midwives Association, Linn Charlotte Nordstrand, is glad UNN has taken action. But the three-part holiday arrangement is a burden for many midwives, she says. Photo: The Norwegian Midwives’ Association Closes several maternity wards The Norwegian Midwives’ Association is pleased that UNN has taken action. But believes that such a holiday arrangement is not family-friendly and not flexible. – Many midwives dread the summer, and many do not get a holiday with their family, says board member Linn Charlotte Nordstrand. She believes it is a solution that best benefits the employer. The pools also extend outside the school holidays. UNN says they have to do it this way. They have experienced it firsthand in previous years that it has been hugely challenging to get staffing with a two-part solution. – Our permanent employees must of course get a holiday. But there aren’t enough substitutes to cover the vacant guards if we don’t divide by three, says Linnerud-Vågeng. The gap between what the hospitals will need from midwives, and what is available, will increase dramatically in the coming years, according to a report from Helse Vest. The Midwives’ Association thinks it is good that UNN has come up with a solution that hopefully means they will be able to remove it if it peaks. Many other maternity wards have not been able to recruit substitutes for the summer. Six maternity wards are closing – in Troms, Nordland and Innlandet. The University Hospital of Northern Norway is the largest hospital in Northern Norway, and accepts both normal births and high-risk births. Photo: Fabian Ubeda A changing profession The birth population has changed in recent years. Pregnant women are sicker, older and more obese, more births have to be initiated. This in turn gives high shoulders through births that last several hours. And sometimes a midwife has two births at once. This has increased the work pressure for midwives, which in turn has led to many not wanting or being able to work in the profession. – It is problematic that 60 percent of midwives work part-time, and are unable to work full-time. It is because of the workload, says health policy spokesperson and parliamentary representative for SV, Marian Hussein. – They would rather go down in position than ensure that the employer stands up. There is also a high rate of sickness absence among midwives. Marian A. Hussein is health policy spokesperson for SV, and representative to the Storting. Photo: Tom Balgaard/news Will take action Hussein believes these are indicators that something needs to be done about the midwifery profession. And look at what other functions can relieve the burden, such as babysitters. The State Secretary in the Ministry of Health and Care, Karl Kristian Bekeng (Ap) also agrees. Together with SV, the government has agreed on four areas to strengthen midwives: More educational positions Use different professional groups in a maternity ward Invest in new hospitals, with adapted rooms and equipment Better cooperation between the municipal health service and the specialist health service Hussein says it is important that politicians listen to the demands of midwives, in order to ensure proper maternity care in the future as well. – We are leaking like a sieve now. Linn Charlotte Nordstrand of the Norwegian Midwives’ Association believes that midwives who now have to work extra in the summer should be compensated accordingly. – Many people go to great lengths for their employers in the summer. A short-term solution is to compensate midwives extra in the summer, both in terms of experience and competence, it should be motivating and profitable to give a little extra for the employer, she believes. Published 26.06.2024, at 07.33
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UNN is better prepared – news Troms and Finnmark
