Kronach launches offensive against nursing shortage: Competence Center 2026!

Kronach launches offensive against nursing shortage: Competence Center 2026!

In times when the challenges in the care sector are becoming more and more urgent, the Kronach district council has decided on a decisive measure to counteract the nursing shortage. It was unanimously decided to establish a nursing competence center, which is scheduled to open its doors in the district office in 2026. This project has the clear goal of strengthening the care industry in the Franconian Forest and making it sustainable. Local politicians recognize this as an important step in public services that has the potential to enable urgently needed improvements in care. This development is seen as a direct response to the already established nursing shortage, which has become one of the greatest challenges of our time not only in Bavaria but throughout Germany. According to careloop.io, this emergency is caused by several factors, including demographic change, which is leading to an increasing number of people in need of care.

The situation is as follows: By 2030, statistically every nurse will leave an unfilled position in nursing. The nursing emergency specifically describes the supply bottleneck, which is characterized by a blatant shortage of nursing staff. There are currently around 1.4 million nursing staff in Germany, while there are around 3.7 million people in need of care - this leads to a staffing gap of around 120,000, which could only grow in the future. Forecasts suggest that the number of people in need of care could rise to 9.1 million by 2050, while demand for care workers will be three times higher than today.

Challenges and causes

The reasons for the nursing shortage are diverse. The average age of nursing staff is alarming: only around 25 percent are under 35 years old. In addition, around 40 percent of nursing staff are already 50 years old or older. High levels of sick leave and often unreasonable working conditions mean that more and more nursing staff prefer other sectors. The average salary for geriatric nurses is around 2,621 euros, while trained nurses earn around 3,180 euros gross per month. These ratios make the professional group less attractive, especially when compared to other jobs that are less strenuous.

One of the causes is the trend towards inpatient care. Here almost every carer is available to help someone in need of care, while in outpatient care the ratio of 1:2.06 represents an acute lack of earning potential. In addition, over 185,000 of 1.7 million family caregivers are on the verge of giving up their jobs - another alarm call for the care industry. The situation can be observed not only locally, but also internationally, with a shortage of 37,000 nursing staff in the Netherlands, while 153,000 positions are unfilled in France.

Future perspectives and possible solutions

So what can be done to alleviate the distress? The answer to this can be found in various solution approaches. Improving employment opportunities and work-life balance are the top priority. By converting part-time to full-time positions, working hours could be extended to meet staffing needs more effectively. Investments must also be made in the education system in order to increase the number of trainees. The targeted immigration of nursing staff from abroad could also be a solution.

The establishment of the Nursing Competence Center in Kronach is seen as a step in the right direction to demonstrate a good knack for the challenges in the nursing sector. A sustainable system requires committed actors in order to permanently eliminate the grievances. The planned competence center will not only serve as a contact point for nursing staff, but also as a hub for innovations and ideas that are urgently needed to revitalize the industry.