Casualisation in the nursing workforce: The need to make it work

Objective The aim of this paper is to highlight some of the challenges faced by the nursing profession in response to increased casualisation of its workforce and why the presence of casualisation needs to be viewed in a positive light. Setting The nursing workforce worldwide. Subjects Nurses who need or want to work as casuals. Primary argument The care-giving responsibilities of a predominantly female workforce and the ageing of the nursing workforce worldwide means some nurses are choosing or need to work as casual employees in order to remain in the workforce. Historically, casuals have been viewed in a negative light particularly in discussions around commitment and continuity-of-care. Without a change in attitude towards nurses who work as casuals, a significant portion of the nursing workforce may be lost. Conclusions An ageing nursing workforce coupled with a worldwide shortage of nurses means that employers need to ensure options are available to accommodate nurses requiring flexible rosters in order to encourage recruitment and retention. Policies are needed to ensure that all staff, regardless of their contribution in hours, feel valued and supported and are able to contribute to their profession. Maintaining a portion of the workforce in a flexible form will allow increased staffing options and ensure that sufficient experienced staff are available in order to maintain quality patient care and outcomes.