"It was not at all the situation today": condemned for abusive use of fixed-term contracts, this Menton hospital assures that it has restored balance in its staff

La Palmosa Hospital has recently been in the spotlight after the Nice administrative court condemned it for having a former nurse sign 47 fixed-term contracts (CDD) .

Having taken over the management of the establishment in March 2021, at the end of the eleven-year period in question, Mylène Ezavin emphasizes that the fact of not having renewed the professional's last fixed-term contract was considered by the courts as a dismissal.

The Menton establishment was therefore only ordered to pay the corresponding compensation, without the court finding that moral damages had been incurred.

"This was not at all the situation today. At the time, the hospital was seriously short of nurses. Fixed-term contracts were temporary. And this person never wanted to be integrated into the hospital public service status," the director says. She points out that such contracts are no longer commonplace.

"Around 90% of professionals are currently permanent. All nurses are," she comments. The goal of zero fixed-term contracts can never be achieved, however. Because they are needed for occasional replacements. And because some professionals do not want to enter the civil service or be transferred. "There is a great need for independence on the part of some – often young people."

The fact remains that over the past four years, a great deal of work has been carried out – under the leadership of HR Director Stéphanie Trombetta, and in consultation with the unions – to maximize staff retention. While Menton Hospital has 550 employees, 20 were granted permanent positions in 2023, 38 in 2024, and around twenty are in the process of being hired in 2025. This applies to all ranks.

"The goal is really to make existing positions permanent; it's not in our interest for them to be precarious," summarizes Mylène Ezavin. The teams are even banking on anticipation. "We're going to nursing training institutes and offering contracts to finance the studies of young professionals, in exchange for a commitment to serve for a few years." Four people are currently involved.

A team of replacements

"Since November 2024, we have reached zero vacancies. There are even more nurses than positions, because we have created a replacement pool, made up of 5 or 6 professionals who can come in as reinforcements when needed," adds the director. Aware that too many vacant nursing positions inevitably leads to the risk of closing services.

"We are also promoting the new reform which consists of training nurses in advanced practice, so that they can then occupy a role likely to relieve medical activities. This gives doctors back medical time, allows for a reorganization of tasks, and represents something attractive for nurses." In 2023, a nurse was sent on a two-year training course at the University of Nice.

And good news: she has just returned to La Palmosa as an emergency specialist – now able to smooth out the circuits and authorized to suture.

"Last year, there were no interested candidates. But this year, we're sending one in a chronic disease specialty: diabetes treatment, chronic kidney failure, etc. And conversely, we're an internship site for the university. So we have advanced practice nurses coming to us." One of whom is currently in geriatrics.

And what about the medical staff? "We have everything we need. The gynecology sector is well structured, with two full-time doctors and the support of the Nice University Hospital for hyperspecialties. In 2026, we will also hire a young, top-tier specialist in assisted reproduction. She will be responsible for general gynecology and will be the permanent assistant for assisted reproduction in the eastern part of the department."

In surgery, continuous care is also assured, both for orthopedic and visceral care. Likewise, the hospital is "well-equipped" with anesthesiologists.

"As for emergency doctors, we're fully staffed. Which is quite rare," says Mylène Ezavin, pointing out just one difficulty for them: the link with imaging.

"We have four full-time practitioners; we need more. But in 2022, to relieve their pressure, we implemented teleradiology. At night, and on call, we use a company so that emergency doctors can be reassured. They get a quick diagnosis. What's advantageous is that this company has hyper-specialists. This obviously doesn't replace an on-site presence, and there's always a review by the radiologists in the morning to be sure that everything is fine," explains the director. She hopes to be able to welcome a new radiologist soon.