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Due to the high availability of corona, it was a strange summer for many employees in the healthcare sector. Several came to see their vacation periods divided and postponed. For some, it took until October before they could take their final weeks off.
As Christmas and New Years approach, the burden of care has increased again on hospitals and therefore the possibility of a consistent licensing can hardly be discussed, it turns out that DN is reaching out to the hospital organizations more greats of Sweden. This is something that worries the unions.
– There is a very pronounced concern that you will not be able to get your license during Christmas and New Years. We have received such signals from many parts of the country, says Sofia Rydgren Stale, president of the Swedish Medical Association and continues:
– The situation differs across the country, but there are many who report that you can request a vacation, but that it is not granted until next door when you know what the situation is like. It creates a feeling of insecurity not knowing if you are allowed to celebrate Christmas with your family or not.
Sofia Rydgren Stale, President of the Swedish Medical Association.
Photo: Johan Knobe
It also says that many of its members feel bad after working hard for a long period, with little time to recover.
– First came spring with the first wave, then we had the debt to pay, and now we are in the next wave. It is very demanding working conditions that leave their mark. We notice more symptoms of stress, sleep disturbances, and some symptoms similar to post-traumatic stress disorder.
According to Sineva Ribeiro, president of the Sanitary AssociationSome of its members have not yet taken all their annual leave, something that violates both the law and the collective agreement.
These are groups that have been in short supply – vat nurses and nursing home nurses – who were given three weeks this summer and promised a fourth. Now there is uncertainty about whether they will remove it. There is concern among our members. Many people feel a great need for recovery and rest.
Sineva Ribeiro, president of the Swedish Health Association.
Photo: Dan Lepp
Despite the anxiety and exhaustion, there is still a strong loyalty to the mission.
– Many have lined up enormously during these months. But at the same time, we need rest and recovery to be strong in the long run. It’s not reasonable to get sick from your job, says Sofia Rydgren Stale of the Swedish Medical Association.
In hospitals and in the regions of the country Do you know that the care staff is tired and tired at the same time? But the Christmas holidays are entirely dependent on how the pandemic develops locally, they say.
Martin Widlund, director of operations for the infection clinic at Örebro University Hospital, sees no room in the near future to make up for the upcoming summer vacation.
– We will prefer to have staff with many additional shifts in order to have a reasonable preparation. It is also difficult in normal times to get a vacation for healthcare personnel during Christmas and New Years, but this year it is even more difficult than usual. We also work with personnel borrowed from other companies.
Staff workload is significant and special work environment initiatives have been put in place, he says.
– Conditions are harsh, but the staff is impressively professional. We continue to provide very good care depending on the circumstances.
Björn Ekmehag, Head of Administration at Skåne University Hospital, he says they would like to be able to grant staff all the licenses they have applied for, but notes that the ball is in the public domain.
– If society helps us to follow the strictest general guidelines, we can reduce the number of infected and the number of covid patients who need care in hospitals. If we can do this, the opportunities for health workers to be off duty during Christmas and New Years will also increase.
Planning ahead is difficult, even if it’s only a couple of weeks. However, Skåne University Hospital is prepared to gradually open more care facilities to receive more covid patients.
– On this basis, of course, we must also adapt the staffing. But there is great uncertainty about what the development will look like in terms of how many people infected with covid will need hospital care in the coming weeks. The extent of sick leave among our employees is also a factor of uncertainty, says Björn Ekmehag.
Anna Wadenhov, Director of Human Resources at Uppsala University Hospital, he also says that the staff are tired after a difficult year and need to rest. However, they are not yet ready with the staffing plan for Christmas and New Years, but are still working with recruiting, warehouses from other parts of the hospital, rental staff, and support from private care providers.
– It is an effort, but we hope and believe that with joint efforts we will solve the challenges.
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