Labor Emigration Trends and Factors of Doctors and Nurses (the Case of Slovakia)

Labor Emigration Trends and Factors of Doctors and Nurses (the Case of Slovakia)


Vojtovič S.

Dr. Sci. (Sociol.), Prof., Faculty of Social and Economic Relations, University of Alexander Dubček in Trenčín, Trenčín, Slovakia. sergej.vojtovic@tnuni.sk

Tupa M.

Cand. Sci. (Social.), Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Social and Economic Relations, University of Alexander Dubček in Trenčín, Trenčín, Slovakia. magdalena.tupa@tnuni.sk

Srovnalikova P.

Sci. (Econ.), Senior Lecturer, Faculty of Social and Economic Relations, University of Alexander Dubček in Trenčín, Trenčín, Slovakia. paulina.srovnalikova@tnuni.sk)

ID of the Article:


Grant from the Slovak Research and Development Agency No. APVV-19-0579.


For citation:

Vojtovič S., Tupa M., Srovnalikova P. Labor Emigration Trends and Factors of Doctors and Nurses (the Case of Slovakia). Sotsiologicheskie issledovaniya [Sociological Studies]. 2021. No 12. P. 113-123




Abstract

The scope and quality of provided healthcare have in recent decades progressively struggled with meeting the population’s needs driven by the aging processes of the population and the subsequent deterioration of their health. The cause behind this situation is, among other things, the lack of medical staff due to their emigration to work abroad. Based on this, the main goal of our research was to define the factors that affect the motives and plans for the emigration for work of physicians and nurses. To achieve this goal, an analysis of trends, intensity and extent of labour and interim migration is carried out. The lack of staff in healthcare facilities is explained and the factors of labour emigration of doctors and nurses are defined. At the same time, the strength of the influence of individual factors on the motives of labour emigration of the named categories of health workers is determined. We consider these findings to be the main scientific contribution to the study of the issue. Nevertheless, a practical solution to this problem requires knowledge of its other contexts, especially the mechanisms of shaping emigration decisions in the context of the current family, work and social climate. In conclusion, it is argued that only extensive and thorough knowledge of these processes can guarantee the creation and implementation of adequate measures in order to ensure that healthcare facilities have adequate staffing and are therefore able to provide adequate healthcare.


Keywords
healthcare; emigration; emigration factors; staffing; medical care; physicians; nurses
Content No 12, 2021