The alarm bells are ringing: in a few years we will miss these healthcare professionals in Lithuania

The growing need for nurses

Nurses are a special group of professionals who are always closer to the patient. They make up about 50 percent. of all healthcare workers in many countries.

According to the World Health Organization, there are around 6 million people on the planet ready to help a person at any time. nursing professionals, but there is already a shortage of general practice nurses.

According to Ingrida Kupčiūnaitė, Dean of the Faculty of Biomedical Sciences at Panevėžys College, according to statistical data from the World Health Organization, in 2030, the global shortage of nurses, doctors and midwives could reach 9.9 million. And today there is a shortage of nurses in Lithuania.

The Center for Monitoring and Analysis of Science and Studies (MOSTA) has developed a “Model for Forecasting the Need for Medical Workers”, which analyzes and forecasts the supply and demand for trained health professionals working in Lithuania until 2028.

During the research, it is estimated that by 2028 there will be a shortage of 7,350 nurses in Lithuania. Currently, the relationship between nurses and doctors in Lithuania is unsatisfactory. Compared with the European Union indicators, there are 3.4 nurses per doctor, and in Lithuania the ratio is 2.6 nurses.

There has always been a shortage of general practice nurses, but the need has been increasing in recent years and will continue to do so in the near future. Although students are interested in all group health science study programs, and the General Practice Nursing study program is one of the most popular programs among prospective students, it is not enough to meet today’s need. on the market ”, says I. Kupčiūnaitė.

Deficit – in the regions

Danguolė Šakalytė, dean of the Faculty of Medicine at Utena College, also agrees with the colleague, according to which the greatest need is currently in the regions.

“The need is everywhere, but most of it is felt in the regions. There is a different population density in big cities, there are more young people who want to live and build a future and experienced professionals, so the situation is better. .

It is always more difficult to attract specialists in the regions. We are supplying Utena at the moment. We train an average of 50 nurses each year. We have prepared 80 this year and all the specialists already have jobs. 5-6 remain in Utena. Some go to big cities, others to foreign countries. For example, in Zarasai, Ignalina, Visaginas there is already a shortage of nurses, but we no longer have anything to offer.

It should also be noted that although specialists are needed, the state does not provide funding for this. Some people study for their money and then want their studies to be profitable, which is why many graduates emigrate.

In Latvia, for example, there is a government order, quotas are received and the required number is prepared. It must be borne in mind that there is a pandemic, that society is aging and that more and more specialists will be needed.

Therefore, it is necessary to provide the legal acts, workloads, salaries, as well as to unify the requirements of the Ministries of Health and Education, Science and Sports, which the Lithuanian College Directors Conference (LKDK) has been trying to do. for many years ”, suggests D. Šakalytė.

The pandemic raised the relevance of the profession

According to Sigitas Naruševičius, director of Alytus College, the need for nurses was especially highlighted by the global pandemic and growing challenges in the healthcare sector. The region’s social partners became the inspirers of the Faculty’s General Practice Nursing curriculum.

„2015 no one has thought about pandemic situations yet, but it has already been said out loud that a lot of nurses will and will be needed. Our study program was inspired by the managers of the Alytus, Varėna, Druskininkai and Lazdijai hospitals and was supported by the city municipality through the installation of laboratories and the purchase of equipment.

It is important to emphasize that in the first year, most of the students in this study program were already people with practical experience working in health facilities.

They had a common understanding of some of the processes and only needed to steer them in a certain direction. These students also greatly enrich the course and their experience, which they share with their colleagues.

A significant proportion of students were born between 1958 and 1962. We now have many younger students who are fluent in foreign languages. The challenge of emigration arises in this place, because young people no longer have problems learning another language, they are not afraid to change their place of residence, so the Government and all of us must go to this sector if we want to train specialists to Lithuania and not for other countries, ”says Naruševičius.

Attitudes are slowly changing

According to Aleksandra Sakalauskienė, head of the Department of Biomedical Sciences at Šiauliai State College, the public’s attitude towards the profession is changing and the attention paid to it.

“The students are very interested in the nursing profession, every year even a dozen events are organized for the students of the schools in the Šiauliai region according to their wishes. When planning admission to the General Practice Nursing degree program, it is expected that more than 50 prospective students will be admitted, both routinely and enrolled. It is one of the most popular degree programs in the university.

It can be argued that the prestige of the nursing profession in society is high enough. The attitude of the public and other health professionals changed after Lithuania regained its independence and the profession of ex-nurse changed to that of nurse.

A modern nurse is a person with a higher education who has the necessary qualifications and the right to work independently or in a team with a doctor and other healthcare professionals. With their behavior, nurses form the image of the profession in society, especially in the context of the COVID-19 epidemic, breastfeeding patients with severe conditions, so the prestige of the profession has become even more evident ” , says A. Sakalauskienė.

The director of Alytus College also complements the colleague, who believes that the attitude towards nurses has changed significantly and is heading in the right direction.

“Little by little we are catching up with Western Europe. Still, growth is still really the place. From my practices and personal experience I can confirm that nurses are highly valued in Europe, and sometimes more than doctors, because a nurse spends much more time with a patient.

At the Cortric Hospital in Belgium, for example, nurses work with smart desks that carry them into the ward. First examine the patient at night, if necessary, film or make an audio recording, which is sent to the doctor. The doctor evaluates the substance and makes decisions about treatment tactics, possibly changing medications. The nurse, in turn, makes changes promptly.

There is also always an emergency console in your pocket, which, when turned on, runs towards the patient. For this reason, these professionals are highly valued and respected. Little by little, the situation is changing both in our country and the profession itself is growing ”, S. Naruševičius sees positive changes.