Nursing manpower development and strategic planning in Greece

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Nursing Workforce Planning
• Public Health Policy

Background:

• The Greek healthcare system's capacity is influenced by its nursing workforce.
• Accurate data on nursing personnel and future needs are crucial for effective planning.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a national census of all registered nursing personnel and students in Greece.
• To project the country's nursing requirements beyond the year 2000.
• To develop a comprehensive master plan for the nursing workforce until 2010.

Main Methods:

• A nationwide questionnaire survey was employed to register all nursing personnel.
• Nursing personnel requirements were estimated based on regional population data.
• A strategic master plan was formulated to address projected nursing needs by 2010.

Main Results:

• The study identified 35,715 nursing personnel (11,497 RNs/health visitors, 22,318 assistant nurses, 1,900 midwives) and 9,252 students.
• A substantial nursing deficit was identified, with an estimated need for 62,000 professionals.
• The majority of existing nursing staff are concentrated in densely populated areas.

Conclusions:

• A critical shortage of Registered Nurses (RNs) exists within the Greek healthcare system.
• This shortage is directly linked to a decline in the quality of nursing care provided.
• Urgent interventions are required to address the nursing workforce gap and improve care standards.