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The chronic problem of a lack of nurses in Slovakia’s healthcare sector looks even more threatening when viewed in numbers. Government analysts show that while we have the smallest number of young nurses, and a large part of them are fleeing across the border, the proportion of older nurses is increasing.
Will there be someone to treat Slovaks in a few years? Although Slovakia’s shortage of nurses has long been known, government analysts recently showed that not only are there fewer nurses, but their average age is also getting older.
So what is the structure of nurses in Slovak hospitals and clinics? According to the latest official data for 2022, there are almost 31,000 nurses working in Slovakia. Compared to the previous year, this means a drop of less than one percent. However, it is not only their overall decline, but also their age structure that threatens.
Will the Slovak state manage to retain young nurses in the coming years?
According to data released by the government Institute of Strategic and Analytical Studies (ISA) In the Slovak healthcare system, nurses aged 20 to 29 account for only 8%. Their share has not changed since 2018. In 2022, the share of nurses aged 30 to 39 in the system is 14%, while in 2018 it remained at 16%.
“Since 2020, the proportion of nurses aged 40 to 49 has also declined. On the contrary, the proportion of nurses over 50 is gradually increasing.” ISA reports.
Government analysts say the low percentage of young nurses is due to the exodus of up to half of female medical school graduates. According to a survey by the ISA Institute, the main attraction is not only higher financial rewards but also more acceptable working conditions.
Would a higher salary help?
The state is also trying to prevent a large outflow of nurses through the above-mentioned changes in nurse salaries. According to NCZI data, the average monthly salary of nurses (including personal allowances, overtime pay, weekends and holidays) will be nearly 2,200 euros at the beginning of 2024. In 2018, this figure was slightly less than 1,200 euros.
Nurses’ salary adjustment According to ISA analysts They may be the key to solving the problem. “One of the tools to retain nurses is the changes in the wage machine in 2023 and 2024, which increases the average monthly wage level,” they said.
Yet even these changes may not be enough to reverse unwelcome trends, so government analysts are also recommending further adjustments to pay mechanisms, targeting nurses’ personal motivations. “To attract young nurses, ISA recommends strengthening pay for machine work outcomes, systematically measuring patient satisfaction with nurses’ work, and incorporating the results into their compensation,” ISA noted.
Analysts said appropriate attractions for young nurses could be setting up nurseries and kindergartens in medical institutions and adjusting working hours taking into account the needs of young parents.
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