1. Introduction
On that account, the current nurse education is going under reform which helps to reveal about the field’s substantial history of gender, race and the social hierarchy. For example, nursing was recognized to be one of the few professions available for white women. However, it is mind-blowing to see the changes and trends in providing male with the opportunity in nursing due to the large request for nursing professionals. By expanding the education capacity for nursing schools and providing a range of different incentives such as training programs and additional faculty trainings in nurse education, the root of nurse shortage can be successfully handled. On the other hand, the health industry, universities or the federal government, could help to fund different innovative methods of nurse education and work on build up the development of clinical teaching to nurse students such as putting immense amount of investment in simulation technology. By making use of the advanced computerized technology, students will surely have better trainings and work through different clinical scenarios.
On that account, the primary aim of this report is to talk about and identify the key elements of the growing nurse shortage in the United States. There has been key research on trying to find the reasons for this nurse deficit and predictions on what would be the upcoming picture of nursing request and supply; however, not all research is reliable and appropriate for strategic planning policies. Moreover, it is important to know the consequences of such nurse deficit and the reasons which got us here today. Last but not least, what are the obvious solutions that the federal government, the universities and the healthcare industry should take into account in an attempt to alleviate this pressure. All the discussions and arguments given in this report are based on the situation in the United States. It is important to recognize the variations in nursing practices, policies and culture.
Nursing shortage is a global problem that the nations in the health industry have to deal with. In showing the relevance of the report, the primary purpose of this report is to talk about and identify the significant elements of the growing nurse shortage in the United States. There has been key research on trying to find the reasons for this nurse deficit and predictions on what would be the upcoming picture of nursing request and supply; however, not all research is reliable and appropriate for strategic planning policies. Moreover, it is crucial to know the effects of such nurse deficit and the reasons which got us here today. Last but not least, what are the obvious solutions that the federal government, the universities and the healthcare industry should take into account in an attempt to alleviate this burden. All the discussions and arguments given in this report are based on the situation in the United States. It is important to recognize the variations in nursing practices, policies and culture.
Introduction In an aging society and a time of continued health problems, the need for giving quality healthcare by capable nursing staff is constantly rising. Reports forecast that the growing population and more persons having access to healthcare due to the Affordable Care Act will snowball the request for registered nurses to a level that cannot be fulfilled. However, in spite of the rising demand for nursing professionals in the nation, the accessible supply of nurses is on a declining trend. Recognized as the “growing nurse shortage” in the health industry, this issue has a destructive impact on the capability of medical institutions to render decent patient care. Patients are putting up with lengthened delays in admissions and assistance in the hospitals. Similarly, longer waiting times in the outpatient and emergency departments are also common happening because of understaffing of nurses. Hence, it is crucial for the healthcare industry as a whole to comprehend and attempt to resolve this shortage.
The Impact of the Growing Demand and Nurse Shortage
1.1. Background of the Growing Demand and Nurse Shortage
The nursing shortage is not a recent issue. Hospitals and other healthcare organizations have experienced a widespread shortage of licensed nurses. The causes for the shortage seem to differ depending on the area you look at, but they all come down to the same reasons: there are not enough nurses to meet the growing demand for healthcare services. The nation is in desperate need of healthcare. It is clear that the shortage of nurses is a serious problem in the United States. The population is getting older, with the average age being about 70. Between 2005 and 2010, 62 million people turned 65, and that number is expected to rise to 87 million by 2050. By then, the number of Americans aged 65 or older will make up 20 percent of the population. Also, three-fourths of those Americans will live with multiple chronic conditions – this is where healthcare services are needed. However, the data also shows that the population of nurses in the United States has also been growing, just not fast enough to keep up with the increasing demand for healthcare. Between 2004 and 2008, the population of nurses grew by 8.7 percent, adding 240,000 nurses to a total of 3.06 million. However, the number of licensed registered growth in those 4 years was not enough to prevent a current shortage; the growth was only 1.8 percent. In 2008, only 49 percent of the 8.2 million LPNs, LVNs, and RNs were employed in nursing. This shows that over 4 million nurses did not work in their field, whether it is because there are not enough jobs available or they choose to leave the field. Also, the workplace of hospitals lacks nurses because that is the employment setting with the highest percentage of nursing shortages. Every area of the country is experiencing nursing shortages to different degrees. At the same time, the nursing educators also face the same problem. There are simply not enough structured nursing programs to turn out the nurses needed to fill the current number of job openings. Between 2003 and 2008, there were more than 355,000 qualified applicants to nursing programs that had to be turned away because there was not enough faculty, clinical sites, class space, and budget to accommodate them. In 2003, the nursing educators’ vacancy rate was 6.4 percent, which is higher than the national average of 6 percent. In associate degree nursing programs, almost 2 out of 5 faculty members assigned to teach on a full-time basis were working in a nursing occupation other than teaching. Also, in 2007, almost half of the nurse educators who were facing the mandatory retirement age, 65, left the position. All of these reasons have led to the nursing shortage continuing to grow, and although there have been programs implemented to address the problem, something more must be done in order to close the gap between the number of nurses available and the number of nurses needed.
1.2. Importance of Addressing the Issue
Firstly, patient safety and care quality can be improved. As the number of patients assigned to a nurse would be less with sufficient nursing staff, each patient can obtain a more prompt and longer care time. A study published in the JAMA Surgery in 2017 showed that reduced nurse staffing in the operating room is associated with a higher risk of readmissions after surgery for surgical patients. As a result, nurse care insufficiency has jeopardized the health outcomes of a patient. Secondly, it helps to reduce nurse turnover rates and vacancies. With less work pressure, the nurses are less exhausted and more satisfied with their job. Patients could also be provided with more effective care by those dedicated nurses. Gradually, it creates a positive cycle for both sides. Thirdly, it contributes to the improvement of population health. Patients’ conditions can be monitored and evaluated more frequently in a nurse team with less workload. When each patient’s progress can be timely recorded and reported, it is beneficial for the healthcare provider to make adjustments on the care plan. Potentially negative consequences might be reduced and the promoting factors of the recovery can be enhanced. Last but not the least, cost can be contained with better management practice. As aforementioned, an understaffed nurse team may lead to a longer recovery time or a higher percentage of readmission, which increases the overall healthcare costs. By addressing the issue of nurse shortage, the avoidance of delayed healing and deterioration of patients’ condition is possible. On the other hand, the wasteful use of medical resources can be prevented. It is estimated that if the nurse shortage problem can be effectively solved, healthcare costs in America could decrease by $13 billion per year.
2. Causes of the Nurse Shortage
2.1. Aging Population and Increased Healthcare Needs
2.2. Retirement of Experienced Nurses
2.3. Insufficient Nursing Education Programs
3. Consequences of the Nurse Shortage
3.1. Decreased Patient Care Quality
3.2. Increased Workloads and Burnout
3.3. Higher Healthcare Costs
4. Strategies to Address the Nurse Shortage
4.1. Increasing Nursing Education Programs
4.2. Retaining Experienced Nurses
4.3. Recruiting and Training International Nurses
5. The Role of Technology in Alleviating the Nurse Shortage
5.1. Telehealth and Remote Patient Monitoring
5.2. Electronic Health Records and Streamlined Documentation
5.3. Nurse Call Systems and Patient Safety
6. Policy and Legislative Initiatives
6.1. Government Funding for Nursing Education
6.2. Loan Forgiveness Programs for Nurses
6.3. Nursing Workforce Development Grants
7. Collaboration and Partnerships
7.1. Partnerships with Educational Institutions
7.2. Collaboration with Healthcare Organizations
7.3. Engaging the Community in Addressing the Nurse Shortage
8. Conclusion
The Impact of the Growing Demand and Nurse Shortage
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