"I work 21 days straight": independent nurses want their work to be revalued

Negotiations to increase the salaries of independent nurses begin this Monday between unions and the health insurance system . These discussions are eagerly awaited by the profession. Nurses' skills were recently expanded through legislation, but the additional compensation for these skills has yet to be negotiated.

The most common procedures, such as injections and blood tests, have not been revalued since 2009. "A nurse cannot be valued at 3.15 euros for an injection. We have, as it were, procedures that no longer make financial sense in light of inflation , in light of the costs that nurses must cover in their care," explains John Pinte, president of the National Union of Independent Nurses (SNIIL).

The costs have become too high. "We're suffering, like everyone else, from rising costs," laments Catherine Venier, who has worked in this profession for 13 years in the Paris region, in Parmain, in the Val-d'Oise region. For example, her car, in which she spends a large part of her day, costs her 400 euros per month.

She would like more recognition for her endless days and her total dedication to her patients. Especially since she currently works seven days a week. Catherine earns around €2,500 per month, but without any paid leave:

"I'm going to work 21 days straight before I can take my summer vacation," she admits bitterly.

"There are colleagues who can no longer continue to meet ever-increasing demand, for consideration and compensation that do not necessarily meet expectations," notes Catherine.

The latter doesn't count her hours, even though an injection costs only 3.15 euros. For Jean-Pierre, one of her patients, nurses deserve to earn more because they spend "many hours" and travel "many kilometers" to treat people. "It's not necessarily the technical procedure that can take up our time, but supporting the patient, all the administrative work with the doctors," explains the nurse.

SNIIL President John Pinte notes that concern is growing within the profession "because we've seen a decline in the number of independent nurses over the past four years." This trend is "very worrying, since it was a phenomenon we weren't aware of until now."

To reverse the trend, he says, we must "recognize their expertise," and this requires revaluing their medical procedures. But negotiations are expected to be slow and difficult. The health insurance system, which has a deficit of €16 billion, wants to save money. These negotiations "will take time because the project is quite vast," warns John Pinte.

This Monday's meeting is expected to only establish "the framework for the negotiations" and "the retrospective schedule" without "getting into specific topics." Another meeting is scheduled for July 16, followed by a summer break. Negotiations won't truly resume until the start of the school year.