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Staffing shortage, particularly in nursing, is a critical challenge in the healthcare industry. The demand for competent nurses is constantly outperforming the existing workforce. This results in several poor consequences for the available nurses, the healthcare organization, and the patients. Thus, addressing this issue requires a multifaceted and systematic approach. This assessment delves into the intricacies of the healthcare issue and presents potential solutions to combat the challenge within the healthcare system.
The prevalence of nursing shortages is a global concern, with varying degrees of severity in different regions. The US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) estimates that between 2020 and 2030, more than 275,000 nurses will be required in the United States, which accounts for an increase of 6% in nurse employment rate (Haddad et al., 2023; U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, 2023). Moreover, per the report generated by the United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), more than 3.6 million registered nurses will be required by 2030. Further statistics reveal that about 193,100 nursing positions are offered annually in the United States (U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS, 2023). These shortages have far-reaching consequences on the existing workforce, healthcare organizations, and patients.
The chosen articles are relevant and vital as these insights aid policymakers, administrators, and stakeholders recognize the broader implications of staffing shortages, providing a comprehensive view beyond the immediate clinical aspects. These comprehensions better equip stakeholders to develop effective strategies and allocate resources to mitigate nursing shortages and ensure high-quality healthcare delivery. The information is extracted from credible scholarly and professional resources, ensuring they are reliable and trustworthy in healthcare.
Nursing shortages refer to a reduced quantity of qualified nurses to meet the augmenting demands for healthcare services. This results in compromised patient care and challenges for the existing workforce (Haddad et al., 2023). The problem is prevalent in various healthcare settings and, thus, applicable to the global context. However, healthcare facilities in underserved areas are highly impacted due to this challenge of maintaining adequate nursing staff levels.
Various stakeholders are impacted and involved in the healthcare issue—mainly nursing professionals, administrators and policymakers, and the communities they serve. Increased workloads and potential burnout directly impact the existing nursing workforce, decreasing job satisfaction and high turnover rates. Healthcare administrators and policymakers play a crucial role in managing the workforce using several strategies to mitigate the issue. Moreover, they are involved in the planning and implementing policies to address the challenge. Lastly, the served patients and the communities are affected by diminished care quality, poor health outcomes, and decreased healthcare services, leading to health disparities.
Several factors lead to nursing shortages in healthcare, including global migration, lack of recognition and support, and the aging workforce. Pressley et al. (2022) highlight that the global migration of nurses significantly contributes to nursing shortages worldwide. International nurses often seek opportunities in countries with better working conditions, higher wages, and improved quality of life, which leads to a loss of skilled healthcare professionals in underserved countries. Additionally, lack of recognition and support for nurses results in frustration and burnout, prompting skilled professionals to exit the profession (Alahiane et al., 2023). Lastly, the aging workforce in nursing heightens the challenges associated with shortages. According to Haddad et al. (2023), approximately one million nurses are above the age of 50 years, which indicates their retirement in the next 10-15 years. This leads to the loss of seasoned professionals with valuable expertise, leading to a shortage of skilled nursing professionals.
Nursing shortages are critical as they impact nurses’ workflows, job satisfaction, and well-being. For instance, during the COVID-19 pandemic, inadequate nursing staff became a pertinent concern, aggravating the challenges for healthcare systems. During that period, nurses faced increased demands for critical care, leading to fatigue, increased susceptibility to burnout, and high turnover (Martin et al., 2023). As a nurse, addressing this issue is paramount for providing valuable input in maintaining a healthy and sustainable nursing workforce. My work extends beyond nursing responsibilities to supporting my colleagues encountering stress and burnout, ensuring care coordination and team collaboration to deliver optimal patient care.
Several strategies could address these contributing factors and nursing shortages, such as establishing collaborative policies on ethical recruitment and retention among countries, fostering a positive and supportive work environment, investing in nursing education, and utilizing telehealth services for resource-constrained areas. However, this paper focuses on enhancing recognition and supportive services for nurses to mitigate the challenge. This approach is effective for not only tackling burnout and job dissatisfaction but also contributing to addressing the aging workforce and global migration.
Alahiane et al. (2023) stress the importance of staff recognition and support as a positive work environment fosters a motivated nursing workforce, guaranteeing the continuity of quality patient care and mitigating the broader challenges of nursing shortages. The implementation requires a multifaceted approach, where leadership should commit to promoting an appreciation culture. This involves regularly acknowledging achievements and recognizing individual and team contributions through “Star/Team of the Month” awards, appreciation evenings, and motivational activities (Al Ahmari et al., 2023). Moreover, the organization must provide access to mental health resources and support systems to maintain the emotional well-being of nurses. Finally, creating career development opportunities within nursing is essential to optimizing professional well-being (Patrician et al., 2022).
Ignoring the problem of nursing shortage worldwide can result in sub-optimal patient care, increased healthcare costs, and a weakened healthcare system. Constant shortages lead to overburdened nurses, leading to nurse burnout, reduced job satisfaction, and increased turnover rates. These outcomes will eventually contribute to poor patient care, diminished quality of healthcare services, and increased morbidity and mortality.
Ethical considerations apply when implementing and enhancing nurses’ recognition and support initiatives. Since the strategies prioritize the well-being of nurses by promoting a positive work environment, the ethical principle of beneficence, which is widely recognized for the welfare and benefit of the individuals, is applied (Varkey, 2020). Recognizing nurses’ contributions increases their well-being and quality of life. Similarly, non-maleficence underscores the importance of preventing harm. A supportive culture ensures nurses provide quality care, avoiding harm to the professionals, the organization, and patients. Lastly, implementing recognition and support initiatives, such as mental health and professional development strategies, promotes justice by offering equal access to each professional, regardless of their role and experiences. This ensures fairness and equality in the workplace (Lönnqvist et al., 2022).
In conclusion, the nursing shortage is a significant healthcare challenge. Several contributing factors, such as the aging workforce, global migration of nurses, and the lack of recognition and support, lead to the issue. However, these challenges must be addressed using a multifaceted approach to recognizing and supporting nurses for their contributions. This strategy aligns with ethical principles, including beneficence, nonmaleficence, and justice. Addressing this issue is vital to improve the well-being of nurses and enhance the overall quality of patient care. Conversely, ignoring the issue could lead to compromised patient care and a destabilized healthcare system. Thus, organizational leaders should contribute their valuable inputs to mitigate the challenge and deliver quality healthcare services to the communities.
Alahiane, L., Zaam, Y., Abouqal, R., & Belayachi, J. (2023). Factors associated with recognition at work among nurses and the impact of recognition at work on health-related quality of life, job satisfaction and psychological health: A single-centre, cross-sectional study in Morocco. BMJ Open, 13(5), e051933. https://doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2021-051933
Al Ahmari, R., Al Qannass, S., Govallen, P., Moorkan, N., & Homoud, Z. (2023). The impact of nurses recognition, and empowerment related to nurses job satisfaction at KFSH-D. Open Journal of Nursing, 13(02), 81–94. https://doi.org/10.4236/ojn.2023.132006
Ghafoor, Y., Yaqoob, A., & Awais Bilal, M. (2021). Impact of Nurse Shortage on Patient Care. Saudi J Nurs Health Care, 4(4), 114–119. https://doi.org/10.36348/sjnhc.2021.v04i04.003
Haddad, L. M., Annamaraju, P., & Toney-Butler, T. J. (2023). Nursing shortage. In StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493175/
Lönnqvist, K., Flinkman, M., Vehviläinen‐Julkunen, K., & Elovainio, M. (2022). Organizational justice among registered nurses: A scoping review. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 28(1), e12983. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijn.12983
Martin, B., Kaminski-Ozturk, N., O’Hara, C., & Smiley, R. (2023). Examining the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on burnout and stress among U.S. Nurses. Journal of Nursing Regulation, 14(1), 4–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/S2155-8256(23)00063-7
Patrician, P. A., Bakerjian, D., Billings, R., Chenot, T., Hooper, V., Johnson, C. S., & Sables-Baus, S. (2022). Nurse well-being: A concept analysis. Nursing Outlook, 70(4), 639–650. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.outlook.2022.03.014
Pressley, C., Newton, D., Garside, J., Simkhada, P., & Simkhada, B. (2022). Global migration and factors that support acculturation and retention of international nurses: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies Advances, 4, 100083. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnsa.2022.100083
Tamata, A. T., & Mohammadnezhad, M. (2022). A systematic review study on the factors affecting shortage of nursing workforce in the hospitals. Nursing Open, 10(3), 1247–1257. https://doi.org/10.1002/nop2.1434
U.S. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS. (2023, November 27). Registered Nurses: Occupational Outlook Handbook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bls.gov. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/registered-nurses.htm#tab-6
Varkey, B. (2020). Principles of clinical ethics and their application to practice. Medical Principles and Practice, 30(1), 17–28. https://doi.org/10.1159/000509119
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