Insecure Employment Contracts during the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Need for Participation in Policy Making

Maryam Maleki, Abbas Mardani and Mojtaba Vaismoradi
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Maryam Maleki: Pediatric and Neonatal Intensive Care Nursing Education Department, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1416753955, Iran
Abbas Mardani: Nursing Care Research Center, Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, School of Nursing and Midwifery, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 1449614535, Iran
Mojtaba Vaismoradi: Faculty of Nursing and Health Sciences, Nord University, 8049 Bodø, Norway

IJERPH, 2021, vol. 18, issue 23, 1-11

Abstract: Job security influences the ability of nurses to provide high-quality nursing care. The Iranian health system has always faced nursing shortages, and the COVID-19 pandemic has worsened this situation. Although nurses have been labelled ‘heroes’ across the globe, many of them have been hired using insecure employment contracts. This commentary aims to describe issues surrounding job contracts for Iranian nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic and discusses how the current situation can be improved. Iranian nurses are at the frontline of the fight against COVID-19 and need to receive better support in terms of job security and dignity. They should participate more in policymaking activities to improve their job condition and prevent the development and implementation of the short-term and insecure job contracts that lead to job insecurity.

Keywords: COVID-19; employment contract; healthcare policy; job security; nurse; workforce (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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