Human Resources Strategies Related to Absenteeism among Nurses

Abstract

Much has been said on people failing to go to work, a feature currently called absenteeism. Employees’ absence may be attributed either to arrival delays, or early leaving or sheer absence during the period in which they should normally be at work. Current review of the literature analyzes the main causes of absenteeism among nurses, identifies types and highlights the potential problems for hospital administrators. Strategies to reduce absenteeism among the nursing personnel may be suggested. According to the literature, absenteeism in nurses is due to pathological reasons, leaves, mourning, strikes and others. Its best-known types consist of voluntary absences for personal reasons, health problems, law-prescribed absenteeism and mandatory absence due to penalties given by administrators. The issue brings forth several problems for hospital managers, such as high costs, operational complications, team disintegration and delays in activities. Absenteeism among nurses for any reason is a grave indicator in attendance quality to patients and their families, owing to reduced productivity of the nurses present and to the institution’s operation costs. When knowledge of the causes of absenteeism is highlighted, the valorization, conscience-raising and counseling of health professionals are management activities that must be incorporated within the role of human resources. Consequences will be prevention, control and decrease of absenteeism rates in the nursing team.