At the beginning of last week, the Health Care Association's safety representative sent in a request for the Swedish Work Environment Authority to intervene.
This is due to the large shortage of experienced nurses, and the high workload for the staff in the emergency room.
- The work environment in the emergency room in Kalmar has been substandard for several years and they have struggled for a long time with a high workload, stress and ethical stress.
Too much to do simply, the resources do not meet the requirements, says Pernilla Petersson, vice department chair and chief safety representative at the Healthcare Association in Kalmar County.
Large staff turnover in recent years
The report to the Swedish Work Environment Authority states that 81 nurses have left the emergency room in Kalmar between 2017 and 2021, and several have stated that it was due to the high workload.
- The nurses have during the entire pandemic, and even before that, said that it is too tough a work environment and I think it shows in the fact that 81 nurses have stopped in recent years, says Pernilla Petersson.
Erica Isaksson, Operations Manager for the Emergency Department in Kalmar, does not want to stand up for an interview but says in a comment: "We take the signals from employees very seriously and our goal is a healthy work environment".
SVT Småland has also on several occasions sought the hospital manager, Annkristin Svensbergh for a comment on the work situation in the emergency room.