Support for health care workers during the first wave of Covid-19 infections was outstanding: the Luxembourg Army was deployed for logistical support and citizens across the country applauded the relentless efforts of frontline workers.
It was great to feel this level of solidarity, noted Hanff, but support quickly decreased over time, and more than a year into the pandemic politicians still fail to respond to the needs of the sector.
For instance, only about 80% of a nurse’s workload is actually paid, according to Hanff. Significant amounts of paperwork are therefore often filled in outside of work hours, which means that people in the sector grow increasingly frustrated.
The sanitary crisis has mostly reinforced pre-existing problems in the field, Hanff further explained. It is definitely the case that there are nurses looking for a career switch or considering early retirement with the way things stand, she added.
In a joint effort, the University of Luxembourg and ANIL are trying to find out more about the motives of health care workers’ career decisions with the help of a study. The first part of the study was already conducted in spring this year. The second part now seeks to establish whether people in the sector feel as though things have improved in the meantime.
ANIL will establish a list of demands for the government based on the outcome of the study. As we are approaching the next Chamber elections, the Nurses Association will also have a closer look at the campaign promises of different parties to evaluate who proposes the most constructive improvements for the sector.
