Analyzing the numbers, an alarming picture emerges: in 2024, 661 employees left the company, of which 331 retired, 255 resigned voluntarily, and 75 left due to mobility. The territorial details reveal that in Cesena 104 workers left their positions (32 voluntary resignations, equal to 30.8%), in Forlì 111 (47 resignations, 42.3%), in Rimini 176 (64 resignations, 36.4%) and in Ravenna 270 (112 resignations, 38.4%). Overall, voluntary resignations account for 38.6% of departures in 2024, a significant increase compared to 34.7% recorded in 2023. A survey conducted by Nursing Up Emilia Romagna in 2024 revealed that 74% of professionals perceive the work environment as toxic, while only 8% consider it positive. The reasons behind this hemorrhage of staff are many, but among the most relevant are: - Work overload and unsustainable shifts: The staff shortage forces nurses to cover additional shifts and perform tasks that often fall outside their expertise. - Lack of career prospects: Despite high levels of training, nurses complain about limited opportunities for professional growth and a lack of recognition for their skills. - Toxic work climate: Stress, bullying, and a management perceived as distant and uncooperative fuel the malaise. - Inadequate salaries: Wages are considered not commensurate with the workload and responsibilities assumed. The repercussions of this situation are extremely serious: - Quality of care at risk: The staff shortage compromises patient care. - Increased risk of errors: Stress and overload can lead to avoidable medical errors. - Decline in the attractiveness of the profession: Fewer and fewer young people are choosing to pursue a nursing career, further worsening the problem. Francesca Batani, regional representative of Nursing Up Emilia Romagna, emphasizes the urgency of taking action: "Many nurses, not only very young but also with 20 years of experience, can't take it anymore. The lack of prospects, the oppressive attitude of management, and constant deskilling are killing our profession. We can no longer take care of patients as we should. They ask us for the impossible and, often, to plug organizational gaps at the expense of the quality of care." Batani also highlights a worrying fact: while the number of nurses decreases, the number of managers increases, creating a paradoxical situation in which many workers accumulate over 140 days of unused leave. To reverse this trend, a structural intervention is needed that includes: - Increase in staff: Targeted hiring to fill gaps. - Work reorganization: Sustainable shifts and enhancement of professional skills. - Salary adjustment: Decent wages, better allowances, and recognition of freelance and strenuous professions. - Improvement of the work climate: Creation of a more collaborative and peaceful environment, with greater listening by management. The shortage of nursing staff represents a serious threat to the sustainability of the healthcare system in Romagna. A prompt and decisive intervention by the institutions is essential to avoid further deterioration of the service and to guarantee a future for the nursing profession.
In recent years, the Romagna Local Health Authority, like many other Italian healthcare organizations, has been facing an increasingly serious crisis: the shortage of nursing staff. In 2024, 38.6% of the 661 employees who left the company did so through voluntary resignations, a figure that highlights widespread and deep-seated malaise.
