nurses with a Walker – the coming reality?

The life expectancy in our country increases. We will all live on average longer than the generations before us. At the same time families in Germany, since decades, fewer and fewer children. Germany is shrinking. What this means is that more and more older people in need of care come less and less young, who can afford this care, or Finance.

Social professions are over-ageing

This Problem is now in sight and will intensify with the years. For my profession, the nurse, it means that in the year 2035, the employees are form over 50 years the backbone of the health care in a professional, the maximum demands on the body and Psyche. A few years later many nurses are in need of a Walker to be able to other people… is A creepy and unrealistic idea, statistically coming reality.

A lack of talent, bad Image

In addition to the fact that fewer and fewer young people opt for social professions such as education to health care professionals and nurses, many remain not long in the Job. This has been demonstrated in various studies dramatically (see Next study). For us as nurses, this is a really threatening Situation, we have to deal with in the future.

The work density, and workload remains high

The increasing cost pressure in health care and in the hospital environment, will continue to lead to massive job consolidations. In practice, we have to ask ourselves today: What should be compressed? Even today, you could squeeze with the pressure of diamonds!

The cost does not have a carrier, in turn, the desire to make more money or resources for good care and staff available. How is this to be explained the shrinking crowd of young Insured? The question of justice must be approved.

We need to think

Asclepius, as one of the largest employers in Hamburg, has decided to deal with this issue. As an employee and a nurse, this makes me very happy!

Colleagues from different Hamburg hospitals are engaged in a project group intensively with the challenges. The aim is to develop tools that enable it to remain in the age of powerful and healthy. My house, the AK Barmbek, for this project, the pilot house. The colleagues developed concepts and ideas to be tested here.

The beginning of the project

At the beginning of a variety of data collected and the different fields of action worked out. It showed that different pieces of the puzzle for a healthy will be Older in the nursing profession necessary.

How must be designed the jobs? What tools do we need? How and where can be used for the ageing of the nursing staff is useful and profitable for all Involved? How to develop a corporate culture for older staff? What layer of service concepts for older employees suitable and realistic?

But also the up-and-coming colleagues play a big role. We get young talent? How can we make the profession more attractive, people for the nursing profession inspire? How do we protect the young colleagues from Overload? How do we keep nurses in the profession? Are generational conflicts play a role? How do we create a fair division of labor between Young and Old?

The goal is the development, ad hoc testing, and subsequent Review of measures, which will help in answering these questions.

Great challenges lie ahead of us

Also, the project group here at Asclepius will not be able to solve the problems single-handedly. Qualified and dedicated staff is the key to success – regardless of the age.

In the future, a fierce battle for good care staff will follow. The facilities with the best concepts and the best Overall package of pay, working conditions and development opportunities for the employees will survive. Asklepios sees the opportunities and risks and positioned accordingly.

We can overcome the challenges only if all of the parties Involved in the health system, recognize the urgency, and together, concepts and financing models to develop. My employer and the dedicated project group have made the first steps. A long way is still ahead of us.

Photo: Fotolia / spotmatik photo