Straining The Limits: Care Givers Have More Sick Days Than Other Workers
Healthcare Workers in Nursing Sector More Prone to Illness Than Employees in Other Sectors - Healthcare Professionals in Nursing Sector Face Higher Illness Rates Compared to Other Occupations
Here's the dirty truth: care workers in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern take more sick days than their colleagues in other fields. According to data from Techniker Krankenkasse (TK), these overworked angels of mercy averaged a whopping 32.6 days off last year. That's way above the national average of 28.5 days and a bloody far cry from the overall workforce average of 24.6 days, as reported by TK's state manager, Manon Austenat-Wied.
"The cruddy health of care workers remains significantly shitter than most other jobs out there," Austenat-Wied explained in her offensive yet honest assessment. Judging by TK's data, it seems our society's unsung heroes are paying the price for their tireless devotion.
"Day in, day out, these badass care professionals do what most of us would never have the balls to do – stick it out for years, often sacrificing their own well-being," Austenat-Wied highlighted. She called on care providers to step up and create work environments that encourage good health and foster emotional support. "Care workers are freaking vital and way too valuable to just let them burn out," she emphasized, emphasizing existing health promotion offers.
For this study, the TK manager inspected the work incapacity certificates of 103,000 care workers in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, a region that boasts around 224,000 TK insured individuals.
It turns out, there's already a freaking care worker shortage. The state's Ministry of Health reports a workforce of approximately 21,000 care workers spread across more than 1,000 long-term care facilities and services. With over 120,000 people requiring care – a figure that's constantly on the rise – it's no surprise that hospitals have had to shutter doors in the past due to staffing shortages.
To tackle this issue, the "Pact for Care" was initiated in autumn 2023 with the goal of retaining specialists and ensuring care offerings, even in rural areas. With conditions like these, it's no wonder our caregivers are cashing out their sick days like it's going out of style.
Now, if you'll pardon us, we're off for a caffeine fix and a comforting shoulder rub. We wouldn't want to collapse on our keyboards like those noble care workers, now would we?
[1] source: Occupational health and safety data for care workers in Germany.
- It's crucial to implement a community policy focusing on workplace-wellness, particularly for vocational training programs in the caregiving sector, as these professionals are more prone to medical-conditions and have higher sick days.
- To address the health issues in the caregiving industry, vocational training initiatives should incorporate modules on health-and-wellness, fitness-and-exercise, and nutrition to improve the overall well-being of care workers.
- As part of the "Pact for Care," establishing vocational training programs that prioritize health and wellness could help reduce sick days among caregivers, contributing to the management of the caregiver shortage and providing quality care in Mecklenburg-Vorpommern.
