Nursing care initiative: New law for better working conditions in nursing care
The Federal Council wants to continue to strengthen the cornerstones of basic medical care. In order to minimize early departures from the profession, the federal government has now commissioned the drafting of a new federal law and other measures.
The nursing industry is facing greater challenges in light of population growth and maintaining working conditions. The Nursing Initiativewhich was approved at the ballot box on November 28, 2021, is now being implemented by the Federal Council in two stages. The first stage includes a training offensive by the federal government and the cantons, for which up to one billion Swiss francs have been earmarked over eight years. In addition, caregivers will increasingly be able to bill certain services directly to the social insurance funds.
According to a statement from the federal government, the criteria for federal education grants will be formulated by summer 2023 and sent out for consultation. The necessary law is expected to come into force in mid-2024.
The Federal Council intends to implement the remaining elements, including working conditions that meet requirements and better career development opportunities, as part of the new constitutional provision. To this end, the Federal Council instructed the Department of Home Affairs at a meeting on January 25, 2023. The new federal law will regulate new provisions that will apply to the entire nursing sector. These include, for example, stricter requirements for the creation of duty rosters, the plannability of assignments, which may no longer be determined two weeks in advance, but at least four weeks in advance. Short-term adjustments of duty assignments should continue to be possible: However, employers should then be obliged to pay wage supplements.
