Nurses in Denmark have been warned not to use a local staffing agency which recruits nurses to work in Norway where an acute skills shortage has drawn in healthcare professionals from its Scandinavian neighbours.

The Danish Nurses Organization (DNO), which represents 72,000 nurses in the country or 90% of the workforce, warned jobseekers against using the Denmark-based staffing provider 1st Care, following several complaints from its members.

It said that nurses on the lookout for jobs in Norway should only use staffing companies that have an agreement with DNO. This excludes 1st Care which has been accused of poor working conditions, not providing sufficient training to nurses, and for not paying overtime.

“We encourage our members to seek work abroad temporarily if they do not get a job in Denmark. But we advise them to apply for jobs directly and not through 1st Care,” the organisation said.

1st Care denies the allegations and claimed that nurses employed by the firm are satisfied with their work experience in Norway. The staffing company has now arranged a meeting with the DNO to discuss its recruitment process in the presence of legal support.

Norwegian newspapers report that the number of Danish nurses having received authorisation to work in the country has jumped by a strong +220% in the past three years.