Algorithm to set nurses’ shifts in Tampere raises patient safety concerns

Staff at the Pirkanmaa wellbeing services county have raised concerns over a new algorithm-based shift scheduling system, warning it could threaten both employee wellbeing and patient safety, Yle reports.

From this month, an automated system will generate most shift assignments, replacing a previous model where employees could propose their preferred schedules. The change, part of a trial running until 2027, has drawn criticism from nurses who argue the new system fails to account for individual needs and work-life balance.

Over 6,000 employees signed a 2022 petition calling for the retention of the collaborative scheduling model, which allowed staff to request up to 21 shifts over a three-week period. Under the new system, nurses like Julia Koskinen—a ten-year veteran of Tampere University Hospital’s intensive care unit—will only be able to pre-select three night shifts and four shift or leave requests, with the remainder assigned automatically.

Koskinen, a mother with a near 40-kilometre commute, told Yle the previous system enabled her to balance work and family life. “Employees aren’t just resources to be allocated,” she said. “We’re people with lives outside work, and our jobs need to make that possible.”

Colleagues echoed her concerns, with 30-year ICU nurse Merja Hemminki describing the top-down decision as “offensive” and a step backward. “This will increase sick leave, so any cost savings won’t materialise,” she warned.

The Pirkanmaa branch of the Union of Health and Social Care Professionals (Tehy) has also opposed the change, arguing that shift optimisation tools undermine employee wellbeing. “The people doing this work must be able to stay alert and perform well,” said Tea Taubert, the union’s local chair.

HR director Aija Tuimala acknowledged the concerns but defended the trial, stating the new system aims to create fairness and reduce managerial workload. She noted that staff feedback had been gathered through information sessions and working groups, with a full evaluation planned for 2027. Adjustments to the system’s use may still be possible at individual units if issues arise.

Similar shift-scheduling software is already in use in several other Finnish wellbeing services counties, including Kanta-Häme, North Karelia, and East Uusimaa.