Abstract
While many countries around the world report an increase in the shortage of nurses and less satisfactory working conditions of nurses, the Czech Republic is currently experiencing an unprecedented shortage of nurses. For that reason many hospitals were forced to close down some of their beds or units.
The shortage causes more work related stress to the remaining staff, the working conditions are worsening and nursing salaries are just around the average national salary. The implication of the nursing shortage for quality of care and patient safety is obvious.
As an attempt to solve this situation, the nursing salaries were increased by approximatelly 76 Euros, an increase which probably will not be sufficiently motivating to remain in this highly qualified profession. Especially since the Czech unemployment rate is the lowest in the EU.
In this situation, the most powerful political party enforced changes in nursing education; these changes were rejected by the nursing experts, because they attempt to downgrade nursing education. The new nursing Act came into power, but it seems that the fast track program for health care assistants to become a registered nurse was not opened in many schools.
Therefore, the large amount of newly qualified nurses will not be available any time soon.