Background: The global shortage of healthcare professionals is critical, with the WHO reporting a deficit of 5,9 million nurses in 2020 - a number expected to increase due to rising demand and high turnover. In high-income countries, absenteeism among healthcare workers, absence due to personal or health reasons, worsens this shortage, causing service disruptions, reduced productivity, and higher costs. This study examines trends in absences among non-medical staff at the Azienda Ospedale-Università Padova (AOUP), a large hospital in the Veneto Region, employing nearly 7,000 staff. Methods: A descriptive longitudinal analysis was conducted using administrative data from January 2018 to December 2023. Absence days per Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) were classified as sickness, injury, maternity, authorized, unpaid, vacation, and COVID-related (from 2020). Absence rates were standardized per 100 FTE-days with 95% confidence intervals. Workforce composition before and after the 2020 reorganization was assessed to control for structural changes. Results: From 2018 to 2023, average absence days per employee (including vacation) rose by 2.86 days, peaking in 2022. Sickness absences rose by 9.9%, paid leave days by 24.8%, and unpaid leave by 6.1%, while injury (–36.7%) and maternity leave (–6.2%) declined. The 2022 peak corresponded to a temporary reduction of ≈ 330 FTEs in active service. Young nurses and young healthcare assistants (<30 years) experienced the sharpest increases. Discussion: The findings reflect both post-pandemic effects and regulatory changes, including the November 2022 CCNL reform, which simplified certification for personal reason leave. Despite a post-pandemic decline, absence rates remain above pre-2020 levels, driven by sustained workload and psychosocial stress. The study highlights the need for workforce policies addressing structural and behavioural determinants of absenteeism.
Recent trends and determinants of surge in absences among healthcare workers: The case of Padua Hospital
Daicampi C.;Piano S.;Baldo V.
2026
Abstract
Background: The global shortage of healthcare professionals is critical, with the WHO reporting a deficit of 5,9 million nurses in 2020 - a number expected to increase due to rising demand and high turnover. In high-income countries, absenteeism among healthcare workers, absence due to personal or health reasons, worsens this shortage, causing service disruptions, reduced productivity, and higher costs. This study examines trends in absences among non-medical staff at the Azienda Ospedale-Università Padova (AOUP), a large hospital in the Veneto Region, employing nearly 7,000 staff. Methods: A descriptive longitudinal analysis was conducted using administrative data from January 2018 to December 2023. Absence days per Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) were classified as sickness, injury, maternity, authorized, unpaid, vacation, and COVID-related (from 2020). Absence rates were standardized per 100 FTE-days with 95% confidence intervals. Workforce composition before and after the 2020 reorganization was assessed to control for structural changes. Results: From 2018 to 2023, average absence days per employee (including vacation) rose by 2.86 days, peaking in 2022. Sickness absences rose by 9.9%, paid leave days by 24.8%, and unpaid leave by 6.1%, while injury (–36.7%) and maternity leave (–6.2%) declined. The 2022 peak corresponded to a temporary reduction of ≈ 330 FTEs in active service. Young nurses and young healthcare assistants (<30 years) experienced the sharpest increases. Discussion: The findings reflect both post-pandemic effects and regulatory changes, including the November 2022 CCNL reform, which simplified certification for personal reason leave. Despite a post-pandemic decline, absence rates remain above pre-2020 levels, driven by sustained workload and psychosocial stress. The study highlights the need for workforce policies addressing structural and behavioural determinants of absenteeism.
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