Despite staff shortages: Hospitals no longer want to hire temporary workers because they earn too well

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Jakob R.* is used to working hard. Night shifts and weekend shifts are part of daily life for the nurse at the University Hospital Basel (USB). “But now we have to do three times as much work,” R. says in an interview with Blick. He wishes to remain anonymous because he fears the consequences.

Problem: University Hospital Basel brings in almost no temporary workers to fill gaps and fill gaps in its workforce. “With this step, we counter sometimes unhealthy developments in the field of placement of temporary care staff,” says USB, justifying this step.

Hospitals dependent on temporary staff

The University Hospital is not alone in declaring war on temporary staff: All three public hospitals in the Basel region – in addition to the University Hospital they are the Cantonal Hospital Baselland and the University Children’s Hospital Basel (UKBB) – confirm that upon request they have recently stopped working with temporary staff and put on the brakes. The situation is similar in other regions such as Central Switzerland.

As a result of the shortage of skilled workers, in recent years more and more nursing staff have decided to work exclusively as temporary workers: This means they are paid more and can choose when and how often they are on duty.

This situation leads to a two-class system between temporary and permanent employees in hospitals. “And especially in the nursing industry, where teamwork is one of the key pillars, it is not ideal to use temporary staff who need to be trained in the relevant processes,” adds USB.

Nurses are helpless against Covid

Some hospitals, such as the Children’s Hospital Basel, are now establishing or expanding internal care pools rather than relying on temporary institutions. The pool is aimed at employees who want to work flexibly and have a low workload. Other hospitals work only with selected temporary agencies and enter into framework agreements with them in order to avoid excessive fees for short-term recruitment.

All this should lead to the permanent reassignment of specialists to the hospital. At least that’s the theory. In practice, the plan doesn’t seem to have worked so far. “Without temporary staff, the system is close to collapse,” says nurse Jakob R. Operating rooms and beds would have to be closed due to staff shortages. “Now on top of that come seasonal disease waves.” They lead to greater staff absenteeism.

University Hospital Basel confirmed that beds will have to be closed “on a case-by-case basis”. But supply is always guaranteed. “We respond to any emergency and are able to perform elective procedures within reasonable time frames,” USB writes.

Joël Lier (31), head of health at the VPOD Basel union, fears that hospitals’ U-turn could cause collateral damage among temporary staff. “The war is being waged with essential services and permanent personnel support,” Lier said. For hospitals, the following applies: It is better to close beds or put additional burden on permanent staff than to resort to temporary staff.

Jakob R. is fed up

Hospitals only have a chance of success in the crackdown if they act in coordination. Otherwise, temporary workers will be moved to the nearest hospital rather than being persuaded into a permanent position. “I find it problematic that hospitals form a cartel and dictate what working conditions should be,” says Viviane Hösli (39), responsible for the health sector at national level at VPOD.

According to the union, working conditions in hospitals form the basis of the problem. Even if we exclude temporary companies, they will not improve overall. “This is completely symptomatic,” criticizes Lier. “What was previously covered by external temporary companies is now being done through internal pools. “This does not change the employment conditions of permanent staff.”

Jakob R. sees it this way too. She recently left her nursing position at the university hospital. He will soon leave not only the hospital but also the industry. Will the hospital succeed in replacing Jakob R. with a staff nurse? Suspicious.

* Name changed

Source :Blick