Hospital.Help

Mainz – According to a joint assessment by the Nursing Society, the State Nursing Chamber, the Social Association VdK and consultants from the field, nursing care in Rhineland-Palatinate is on the brink. The state government and nursing care funds must act “quickly and in a variety of ways” to avert an emergency.

“We need emergency surgery before rehabilitation,” said the chairman of the nursing association, Gerhard Lenzen. However, the urgency of the situation has apparently not yet reached the state government and the nursing insurance companies with the necessary intensity. For example, a joint position paper from the nursing industry, which is around a year old, has not yet led to much.

“Nursing is in a serious crisis,” said Lenzen, and demographic developments will exacerbate the “precarious situation”: the shortage of skilled workers on the one hand and the need for care on the other.

The president of the state nursing association, Markus Mai, called for a drastic reduction in bureaucracy for nursing staff. “We are experiencing a considerable culture of mistrust.” However, more appreciation for the skilled workers and tougher penalties for fraudsters in the industry are necessary.

Moritz Ehl from the social association VdK pointed out that out of 20 people in need of care in Rhineland-Palatinate, 17 are cared for at home. This is often a considerable burden for relatives. This can also lead to further problems, such as fewer women working, i.e. fewer skilled workers in other professions, and poverty among those providing care in old age. © dpa/aerzteblatt.de