Wyzwania pielęgniarstwa w Polsce i na świecie

Abstract

Demographic changes such as the systematically growing number of older people and the decreasing number of births significantly influenced health policy and healthcare systems in various countries and also caused a significant demand for professional nursing care. The lack of medical staff – and in particular nursing – is a problem that many countries will have to face in the near future, including Poland. Staff shortages are one of the main factors determining the future health policy in the world. The forecasts of the Supreme Council of Nurses and Midwives regarding the situation of nurses in Poland show that in less than five years Poles can be deprived of professional nursing and midwifery care. According to the WHO, there are currently shortages of 7.2 million medical personnel in the world in relation to the reported needs, and according to the report of the Third General Human Resources Forum in Health Care, there will be a shortage of 12.9 million nurses in 2035. In this report, the WHO also warns that in the next 10 years nearly 40% of nurses will leave the profession. The reasons for shortage of nursing staff are multi-faceted and complex, requiring comprehensive solutions. Recommendations regarding nursing policy include the need to prepare and implement national social security programs in services provided by nurses, which would cover the issues of improving working conditions, employment and implementing mechanisms regulating remuneration.