Anticipated turning point in healthcare nursing in Bremen by 2029, according to DAK report
In a recent report, the DAK health insurance has highlighted the urgent need for action to address the nursing care situation in Bremen. The study, led by Professor Thomas Klie from the AGP Social Research Institute (Freiburg), examines the impact of demographic changes on the nursing system in Bremen.
According to the report, rising costs, an increasing number of care-dependent individuals, and constantly decreasing personnel resources are already straining the nursing system in Bremen. The DAK regional manager, Michael-Niklas Ruhe, has stated that the nursing care situation in Bremen is already under significant strain.
The report predicts that by 2026, the labor market reserve in professional nursing in Bremen is expected to shrink, with around 190 retirements and only about 300 new entrants, resulting in a labor market reserve of 1.0 percent. By 2029, this situation is expected to worsen, with the labor market reserve being halved. The tipping point is expected to occur in 2029, when the number of new entrants (around 300) is no longer able to cover the outgoing staff (over 300).
Professor Klie states that there is no buffer against professional demographic dynamics in nursing, despite good training numbers. He suggests that increasing personnel capacity will not succeed demographically. Instead, re-entry programs, immigration, and qualification strategies can at best stabilize the nursing situation.
The report does not provide a solution to the approaching critical point in Bremen's nursing care situation. However, general expert recommendations for similar situations suggest several potential solutions:
1. Increase recruitment and training capacity: Expanding nursing education programs and attracting more young people into nursing careers can help grow the workforce. 2. Improve working conditions and retention: Enhancing pay, career development opportunities, and work-life balance can reduce turnover among current nursing staff. 3. Leverage technology and digitalization: Implementing advanced healthcare technologies can increase productivity and reduce some labor burdens on nurses. 4. Promote immigration of qualified nurses: Attracting trained nursing professionals from other regions or countries can supplement the local workforce. 5. Develop new care models: Integrating community-based care, interdisciplinary teams, and task shifting can optimize resource use. 6. Support informal and family caregivers: Providing training and assistance to non-professional carers can reduce demand pressure on nursing professionals.
The DAK regional manager in Bremen and Bremerhaven, recognising the gravity of the situation, has called for a fundamental reform of the nursing insurance. As more detailed Bremen data or official strategies become available, they would provide clearer guidance on how the region plans to tackle the nursing workforce challenge.
Science reveals the imminent threat to Bremen's health-and-wellness sector, as the nursing care situation is anticipated to worsen significantly by 2029, according to the DAK report. To alleviate this crisis, potential solutions suggested by experts include increasing recruitment and training capacity, improving working conditions, leveraging technology, promoting immigration, developing new care models, and supporting informal caregivers.
