Anne Vigneron’s good looks are not due only to the week off that she was finally able to take. “These days, I’m sleeping better again, I’m less worried about the next day,” she says. By succeeding in recruiting several nurses in the pneumology department of the Bichat hospital in Paris (18th century), where she practices, the health executive has chased away the object of her torments.
“Imagine, in February, out of fifteen nursing posts, seven were vacant, four during the day, three at night! A vacancy is a resignation, a change or an abandonment of a post, I had never seen that, it creates a few cold sweats, ”admits the experienced caregiver. Today, “only” two fail to find a lead sleep.
These turbulences, she is far from being the only one to go through them. Everywhere (or almost), hospitals point to staff tensions. “Ah that, to lack arms, we lack it,” exclaims Professor Dominique Rossi, president of the medical commission for the establishment of hospitals in Marseille. Not two, three here and there, but hundreds! “In the 39 establishments of the Public Assistance – Hospitals of Paris (AP-HP), the gauge rises to 4,000 out of the 80,000 professionals in the largest CHU in Europe.
Salaries, call of the great outdoors, Covid …
So, to attract male and female nurses (especially from operating theaters and anesthetists), nursing assistants, laboratory technicians, physiotherapists, radio manipulators, but also researchers and digital specialists … an unprecedented recruitment campaign launched this week. “We want it to be ambitious and large-scale, by emphasizing our strengths, the aids we provide, such as installation or housing, nursery places, access to training …” AP-HP headquarters.
The task is not easy, as public establishments have suffered for years from a lack of attractiveness. “The Ségur de la santé has made progress, but it is not yet there. There is a lack of money to replenish salaries and make people want to stay in their jobs, ”says Dominique Rossi. “Many nurses prefer to do temporary work because they earn more, almost 600 euros, with fewer constraints,” adds health executive Anne Vigneron.
“Not to mention that the appeal of the province is there and was accentuated by the first confinement,” she continues. And that the Covid has left traces: exhausted caregivers hung up their gowns. At Bichat, one of the AP-HP showcases, all strategies have been deployed to convert new gowns. Strolls in recruitment fairs, canvassing in nursing schools, reminder of all former interns or temporary staff, photos and stickers posted on social networks to “show how nice the teams are”, we laugh. . And word of mouth, a lot.
Marie’s post had been vacant for sixteen months
It is the latter who allowed the arrival of Marie Mano, a 24-year-old nurse who lives in the suburbs, in the Val-d’Oise. The post she has held since May 1 was vacant since January 3, 2020. Sixteen months! “I saw pictures on Instagram posted by a friend of a friend, I contacted her and she told me sold the pneumo (Editor’s note: the pneumology service) as a great service. As I was going around in circles in the other hospital where I was, I sent an email. The next day, I was in maintenance ”, she says, blue sneakers well laced to ensure her morning of care in this unit which was on the front line during the epidemic waves.
Marie says it clearly, yes, she would earn more, by carrying out missions than by being fixed. “But that doesn’t suit me. My job is to learn every day and for that, you really have to be part of a team. The more you know about your department, the better you do things for patients. However, our salary (around € 1,800) is too low for the responsibilities incumbent on us, ”she explains. Today, she too is trying to convince former classmates.
“The arrival of young people, I don’t see that as a problem, but rather as an opportunity for a service, it can give another impetus, re-examine our practices to all”, enthuses Anne Vigneron. It remains to transform the trial, by sustaining and retaining new professionals. A real challenge.
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