There is a shortage of nursing professionals throughout Germany. In order to ensure sufficient nursing care, it will be important now and in the future to recruit qualified nursing professionals and keep them in the profession in the long term. But what about the job satisfaction of nursing professionals? What keeps them in the profession? What could motivate them to re-enter after a break? A study initiated by the Schleswig-Holstein Chamber of Nursing Professions now provides trend-setting results - for Schleswig-Holstein, but also for Germany as a whole.
The nursing shortage in Germany is a much-discussed topic - and not just since the outbreak of the Corona pandemic. Numerous studies confirm that a shortage of nursing staff not only jeopardizes the provision of care, but also the safety of patients, residents and clients. A particular concern of policymakers and all healthcare stakeholders is therefore to develop strategies to attract and retain nurses and to ensure that they remain in the profession.
Study sheds light on current job satisfaction among nurses in Schleswig-Holstein
To this end, the Schleswig-Holstein Chamber of Nursing Professions initiated the research project "Career Retention and Re-entry of Nursing Professionals in Schleswig-Holstein," which was partially financially supported by the Ministry of Social Affairs. The final report of the online survey on job satisfaction and career retention of nursing professionals is now available. Around 2,500 people took part, and 1,883 data sets were evaluated. The participants in the study are on average around 45 years old, they have an average of 23 years of professional experience in nursing, and 77% are women.
The evaluation of the data shows an overwhelming satisfaction with the nursing work, the team colleagues and the direct superiors. The majority of nurses like their job and enjoy providing professional nursing care. However, the surveyed nurses are rather dissatisfied with their working conditions, their salary and the organization and management of the facilities in which they work. Neither the duration of employment nor the scope of employment had any influence on the degree of job satisfaction.
In the online survey, a surprisingly high number of participants used the optional free-text fields - together with the comprehensiveness of the entries, an indicator of a high need for communication on the part of the nursing professionals. In many cases, there are indications that the pressure of suffering under the current working conditions, the threat to health, the burdened professional ethos combined with the lack of appreciation are the decisive factors. The monetary remuneration is considered too low, the opportunities for professional development do not correspond to the wishes of the participants. Some are even considering leaving the nursing profession.
In political circles, the "hidden reserve" is discussed time and again. This means, in addition to the re-entry, the increase in the number of jobs for nursing professionals on a part-time basis. The majority of the participating part-time employees are opposed to such an increase in their working hours; the others could only imagine this in connection with a significant improvement in working conditions.
High suffering pressure of the care specialists reveals urgent need for action
The study supplies for the first time for Schleswig-Holstein a loadable data basis and creates transparency, which moves the care specialists up-to-date. "The study reveals both hopeful potential and frightening scenarios at the same time," sums up study leader Andrea Kuhn from the Health Research Network. "Nursing professionals have told us via the survey that they are considering leaving the nursing profession and advise young people against nursing training. Even if this is understandable in individual cases, this is a dangerous development." Because a lack of young people means a greater burden for those who are active, he said. "Especially against the background that about 40 percent of nursing professionals will retire in the next ten to twelve years, it is clear how urgent the need for action is. The study is a warning signal here for all involved," Kuhn said.
At the same time, the study shows that the nursing profession itself is enjoyable. Direct contact with people in need of care generates high satisfaction levels among nursing professionals. "The study offers us important levers - e.g. working conditions and pay - to promote the retention of nursing professionals and avert the threat of premature departure of highly qualified and experienced nursing professionals," Kuhn is convinced: "The results of the study can serve as a cornerstone for the development of sustainable concepts that promote the re-entry of nursing professionals and the increase in working hours and, above all, secure the retention in the healing profession of nursing in the long term."
In this context, the results are relevant beyond Schleswig-Holstein and can also be transferred to other German states, Kuhn said. The dissatisfaction with working conditions and salaries articulated in the study once again emphasizes the urgency of improving the framework conditions for nursing. "Central to this is society's appreciation of the profession. The responsibility of the health care profession must also be expressed in nationwide collective agreements. Beyond that the procedure proves impressively that care chambers in Germany as occupation-standing organizations very well influence the improvement of the situation in the occupation care on national and federal level , stresses Kuhn.
Further information on the study can be found at: https://forschungsnetzwerk-gesundheit.hwg-lu.de/forschung/berufsverbleib-und-wiedereinstieg-von-pflegefachpersonen
More information on the Health Research Network at: https://forschungsnetzwerk-gesundheit.hwg-lu.de/
Technical contact:
Ludwigshafen University of Applied Sciences
Research Network Health
Andrea Kuhn - Project Management
E-mail: andrea.kuhn@ 8< SPAM protection, please remove >8 hwg-lu.de
Tel.: +49 621 5203 244
