Overworked and Under the Weather: Why Nursing Staff in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern Take More Sick Days Than Other Professionals
Healthcare Workers in the Nursing Sector More Prone to Illness Compared to Professionals in Other Departments - Healthcare Personnel, Specifically Nurses, Face Greater Illness Rates Compared to Workers in Other Sectors
Working as a nurse in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern can be a challenging, even grueling, task. The constant strain on nursing staff, reflected in a relatively high absenteeism rate, is nothing to sneeze at. According to Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), nursing workers in this northeastern German state were off work an average of 32.6 days last year, well above the national average of 28.5 days.
Manon Austenat-Wied, the TK state manager, explains, "The absence of nursing staff remains significantly higher than in other professions." Based on an analysis of sick leave data among its insured, the average sick leave for all occupations was 24.6 days last year.
The pressures faced by nursing workers on a daily basis are extraordinary, often taking a toll on their own health. Austenat-Wied urges nursing companies to prioritize creating a healthy and supportive work environment, not only to make the profession more appealing but also to acknowledge the invaluable and irreplaceable role nursing staff play in our aging society.
To reach these conclusions, Austenat-Wied examined work incapacity certificates of over 100,000 employed individuals insured with TK in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. With approximately 224,000 members, TK is one of the largest statutory health insurers in the region.
The demand for nursing services is on the rise, with around 21,000 nursing staff servicing over 120,000 care recipients in more than 1,000 long-term care facilities and services in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. The ongoing staff shortage is so severe that nursing facilities have had to close in the past. The state's "Pact for Nursing" initiative, launched in 2023, aims to combat this issue by retaining skilled workers and ensuring nursing care in rural areas.
However, the factors contributing to high absenteeism among nursing staff in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern are not entirely unique to this region. Nursing professionals often face higher rates of physical and mental health issues, stemming from the wear and tear of their bodies and the emotional toll of their work. To combat these challenges, supportive staff systems, flexible work schedules, improved staffing ratios, professional development opportunities, and effective feedback mechanisms can help. Targeted recruitment strategies for specific regions where shortages persist could also help address the issue.
- Nursing
- Nursing staff
- TK
- TKK
- Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
- Field
- Schwerin
- Physical health
- Mental health
- Stress
- Burnout
- Work-related strain
- Musculoskeletal issues
- Aging workforce
- Demographic challenges
- Pandemic impact
- Staff support systems
- Flexible work schedules
- Improved staffing ratios
- Professional development opportunities
- Feedback mechanisms
- Regional recruitment strategies
- In the face of high absenteeism rates among nursing staff in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Techniker Krankenkasse (TK) emphasizes the necessity of prioritizing professional development opportunities, such as vocational training, to foster a healthier and more supportive workplace environment for nursing professionals.
- To address the escalating physical and mental health issues among nursing staff, targeted regional recruitment strategies, along with effective feedback mechanisms, flexible work schedules, and improved staffing ratios, can be implemented for a more resilient workforce, ensuring better health and wellness in the science-driven field of nursing.
