Hospitals - Sickness season meets thin staffing levels
Hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia, which are often already plagued by low staffing levels, will once again be burdened by staff sickness this winter. However, there is no evidence of more staff absences than usual for the season and inpatient care is guaranteed, according to the NRW Ministry of Health. However, a wave of RSV could affect the care of sick children. Meanwhile, the university hospitals in Essen, Düsseldorf and Cologne are reporting isolated restrictions on treatment.
"The sickness rate is currently very high and there are occasional staff shortages," said a spokesperson for Cologne University Hospital. Some operating theatres could not be operated for days at a time and non-urgent operations had to be postponed as a result.
Staff shortages are an ongoing issue in many hospitals. The additional workload in winter - when seasonal illnesses cause more patients and staff absences at the same time - comes as no surprise to hospitals. At Essen University Hospital, the situation is currently mainly determined by a disproportionately high number of cases of illness, according to a hospital spokesperson. However, this happens every year and is therefore "managed with a lot of experience". However, individual restrictions and bed closures may still occur due to a high number of cases of illness. As a rule, however, all treatments and operations can be carried out.
A spokesperson for Düsseldorf University Hospital said that the shortage of staff - particularly in specialist care - meant that they were able to operate far fewer beds than would be possible with a full staffing plan. This means that almost 2,500 people are employed in nursing and functional services. "And yet we would immediately hire 150 additional nursing staff," said the hospital spokesperson. In Germany, the staffing requirements can no longer be met. In some cases, there may be waiting times for scheduled treatments.
Hospitals are therefore under pressure due to typical infectious diseases, including Covid-19. However, the situation is currently nowhere near comparable to the first two years of the coronavirus pandemic, the Düsseldorf hospital spokesperson said. According to the Ministry of Health, pediatricians in particular fear that a wave of RSV infections (RSV stands for respiratory syncytial virus infections) could have similar effects to last year's wave, which could affect the care of sick children.
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- BMG is closely monitoring the situation in hospitals across North Rhine-Westphalia, particularly concerning the rise of RSV infections among children and the potential impact on the nursing professions.
- At a hospital in Cologne, the high sickness rate has led to occasional staff shortages, resulting in delayed non-urgent operations and temporary closures of some operating theatres.
- In Düsseldorf, hospitals are currently struggling with a shortage of staff, particularly in specialist care, which has necessitated operating fewer beds than planned, employing over 2,500 people in nursing and functional services, and potentially leading to waiting times for scheduled treatments.
- To address staffing shortages, several hospitals in North Rhine-Westphalia, including those in Cologne and Düsseldorf, are considering hiring permanent staff to support their existing personnel, ensuring better care for children and adult patients during future health crises.
- Despite the challenges, healthcare providers and governmental entities in North Rhine-Westphalia, such as the NRW Ministry of Health and various pediatricians, remain committed to providing optimal care for children and all patients, discouraging any hesitations regarding the importance of Nursing professions and calling for long-term solutions to address persistent staffing issues.
Source: www.stern.de
