As a measure to appeal to and maintain nurses and health workers in the profession, Switzerland adopted the so-called “Nursing Initiative” in a popular vote in November 2021, with in total 61% of votes. The Federal Constitution requires the federal government and cantons to recognize and promote nursing as a core component of health care. The objective of the initiative is threefold: first, to recognize the nursing profession as an essential and central component of health-care; second to train and educate more nurses and health workers to address the occurring needs of an ageing population and so the initiative thus aims to increase the number of nursing personnel in Switzerland; and, third to ensure that nurses have the ability to work according to their training and competencies and that they benefit from good working conditions to main quality care.
To achieve these ambitious goals, the nursing initiative is being implemented in two stages. The first stage comprises an education and training offensive campaign with an envelope of CHF 1 billion to be invested in education of nurses during the coming eight years.
At a second stage, the professional circumstances in health workforce professions shall be addressed by 1) providing working conditions that meet high requirements, 2) offering opportunities for professional development and 3) providing appropriate remuneration for care services. Throughout the implementation, close collaboration with all stakeholders, such as the Cantons, educational institutions and professional associations, is key.
An additional element which aims to address the needs of unpaid care work providers, which are mainly women, are various initiatives to improve compatibility of work and family life. For example, the provision of childcare services or modularized training and continuing education, shall allow professional development alongside the family. Various measures will also be put in place in order to develop certain skills and implement new digitalization tools. These measures should contribute to reduce workload and facilitate certain tasks.