Managing absenteeism among pregnant healthcare workers: A case from Croatia’s Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka

Abstract:

Objective: The case aimed to highlight the increasing absenteeism among pregnant medical workers employed at the Clinical Hospital Centre Rijeka, Croatia. The paper proposed and implemented measures to reduce this trend through coordinated efforts involving the contracted outpatient Occupational Medicine, the Hospital Personnel Department, and the Occupational Safety Department.
Methods: A descriptive approach was used to assess the current state of pregnancy-related absenteeism, which fluctuated up to 3% annually of the total 3,500 hospital employees, of whom 81% were females.
Results: Immediate action by contracted outpatient Occupational Medicine introduced a selective approach to granting temporary incapacity leave only when the workplace posed a genuine threat to maternal and fetal health. In collaboration with the Occupational Safety Department, temporary reassignment to less hazardous roles was implemented, minimizing absenteeism.
Conclusions: The implementation of governmental measures in March 2025, granting significant benefits to pregnant employees, risked straining hospital operations, possibly leading to department closures given the female-dominated workforce. Adhering to Occupational Medicine evaluations and strategically reassigning pregnant workers helped mitigate these risks.

• Keywords:
• Occupational medicine; Pregnant hospital workers; Workplace management

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