Кризата в българското здравеопазване: гласът на медицинските сестри
The Crisis in Bulgarian Healthcare: The Voice of Nurses

Summary/Abstract: This article analyses the crisis of nurses in Bulgaria through the lens of labour quality (Holman, 2013), individual response strategies (Hirschman, 1970), and collective action (Olson, 1965). Despite the drastic decline in specialists, which prompted protests and the formation of a new union (SBMS) in 2019, no real change in working conditions has occurred. Based on 20 in-depth interviews with nurses and an expert, the study reveals a „structural trap“: professional identity, based on vocation and patient care, blocks opportunities to leave the profession and limits opportunities for protest, leaving forced loyalty as the dominant strategy. The analysis shows that low job quality is partially compensated by intangible factors (vocation, flexibility), which, however, mask the problem rather than solve it. Collective action is hampered by individualization and fragmentation of personality, along with ethical dilemmas. The study offers a theoretical framework for understanding the paradox: visible protests, but no change.

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