title: Human resource crises in German hospitals--an explorative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The complexity of providing medical care in a high-tech environment with a highly specialized, limited labour force makes hospitals more crisis-prone than other industries. An effective defence against crises is only possible if the organizational resilience and the capacity to handle crises become part of the hospitals' organizational culture. To become more resilient to crises, a raised awareness--especially in the area of human resource (HR)--is necessary. The aim of this paper is to contribute to the process robustness against crises through the identification and evaluation of relevant HR crises and their causations in hospitals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Qualitative and quantitative methods were combined to identify and evaluate crises in hospitals in the HR sector. A structured workshop with experts was conducted to identify HR crises and their descriptions, as well as causes and consequences for patients and hospitals. To evaluate the findings, an online survey was carried out to rate the occurrence (past, future) and dangerousness of each crisis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six HR crises were identified in this study: staff shortages, acute loss of personnel following a pandemic, damage to reputation, insufficient communication during restructuring, bullying, and misuse of drugs. The highest occurrence probability in the future was seen in staff shortages, followed by acute loss of personnel following a pandemic. Staff shortages, damage to reputation, and acute loss of personnel following a pandemic were seen as the most dangerous crises.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study concludes that coping with HR crises in hospitals is existential for hospitals and requires increased awareness. The six HR crises identified occurred regularly in German hospitals in the past, and their occurrence probability for the future was rated as high.
authors.affiliation: SRH Hochschule Berlin, Ernst Reuter Platz 10, 10587, Berlin, Germany. carsten.schermuly@srh-hochschule-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Carsten C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Schermuly
authors.affiliation: SRH Hochschule Berlin, Ernst Reuter Platz 10, 10587, Berlin, Germany. michael.draheim@srh-hochschule-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Draheim
authors.affiliation: SRH Hochschule Berlin, Ernst Reuter Platz 10, 10587, Berlin, Germany. ronald.glasberg@srh-hochschule-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Ronald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Glasberg
authors.affiliation: SRH Hochschule Berlin, Ernst Reuter Platz 10, 10587, Berlin, Germany. vladimir.stantchev@srh-hochschule-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Vladimir
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stantchev
authors.affiliation: SRH Hochschule Berlin, Ernst Reuter Platz 10, 10587, Berlin, Germany. gerrit.tamm@srh-hochschule-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Gerrit
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Tamm
authors.affiliation: SRH Hochschule Berlin, Ernst Reuter Platz 10, 10587, Berlin, Germany. michael.hartmann@srh-hochschule-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hartmann
authors.affiliation: SRH Hochschule Berlin, Ernst Reuter Platz 10, 10587, Berlin, Germany. franz.hessel@srh-hochschule-berlin.de.
authors.forename: Franz
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Hessel
mesh_terms: D001364:Awareness; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D005858:Germany; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand; D006761:Hospitals; D006801:Humans; D015279:Organizational Culture; D058873:Pandemics; D010557:Personnel Administration, Hospital; D010563:Personnel Turnover; D010564:Personnel, Hospital / Q000600:supply & distribution; D000078329:Workforce