Since 1890 has we in Norway marked the Workers’ International Day of Struggle. The first of May is a day that is marked and celebrated all over the world. A day where the trade union movement and workers meet to celebrate their victories, and new flag issues are brought to the fore. We train and march to marching band music, and we proudly carry our own banners and pennants.
Many victories are reached and we have gained rights in working life that our ancestors could look forward to. Nevertheless, we still have issues for which we must stand on the barricades. At the same time, we live in a troubled world and have to accept that many of our colleagues work under extreme conditions in war and emergency, and experience being bombed and killed at work.
Norwegian Nurses’ Association (NSF) was founded in 1912, and we have gone from 44 members to 130,000 members today. Our members consist of nurses, specialist nurses and midwives, and are referred to by many as the backbone of today’s healthcare system.
Today is missing we have almost 6,000 nurses and almost 3,000 healthcare workers. It shows that the backbone of the healthcare system is about to break. There is currently a critical shortage of nurses, as well as low numbers of applicants for the education. The critical shortage of nurses is most prevalent here in the north, and the number of applicants for the education is the lowest in the district.
National Center for In 2023, district medicine produced a report commissioned by NSF: Recruit and retain nurses in district municipalities.
NAV Troms and Finnmark its company survey from May 2023 shows that there is the greatest shortage in professions within health, and the greatest demand for nurses. It is therefore important that the parties in working life find solutions for how we can recruit and retain nurses and other health personnel in the future.
We have to stop the leakage of newly qualified nurses who disappear from the profession too early, and we must have measures to retain nurses who are in the final phase of a long professional life. This means that we must have measures that enable nurses to remain in the profession throughout their professional career. The primary task will therefore be to improve pay and working conditions for nurses and other health personnel.
What will it take for the Norwegian healthcare system to continue to stand upright?
-
The burden has to go down and the pay has to go up!
-
A good life-phase and senior policy must be put in place
-
Arrangements must be made for work clothes for employees in the home services
-
Compensation arrangements must be in place for extra functions and responsibilities
-
Salary and recognition for supervision and master’s competence in nursing
-
Decentralized and flexible nursing education
In 2023 had we record low numbers of applicants to the nursing profession. At first glance at coordinated admissions this year, the numbers look more promising, but that does not mean that everyone who has applied says yes. It is therefore important that employers and politicians take responsibility for making the profession more attractive and do something about the measures mentioned above. Only then will we get sustainable development and the necessary expertise into the health sector.
In Norway it is we are lucky to have a rich tradition of tripartite collaboration, where the parties in working life come together to find good solutions to the societal challenges we face. Now is the time to solve the challenges we face. We have no time to lose and NSF is always ready to meet employers and politicians, both locally and nationally.
In other parts of the world is war and suffering is part of daily life. NSF condemns all war and the bombing of hospitals. We cannot accept that people starve, that children and civilians are killed in the thousands, or that hospitals and health personnel are bombed to pieces. We stand in solidarity with colleagues in war, crisis and conflict. There must be a political solution where health personnel, aid workers, journalists and civilians are protected.
We have continued things worth fighting for. Together we will make it! Happy Birthday!
