NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 2

NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 2

Name

Capella University

NURS-FPX4000 Developing a Nursing Perspective

Prof. Name

Date

Applying Research Skills

The global shortage of healthcare professionals, including doctors, nurses, and allied health personnel, has become a critical crisis, particularly in the United States. This deficiency has led to excessive workloads, burnout, decreased quality of care, and increased healthcare costs. A significant contributor to this issue is the high turnover rate among nurses, with projections estimating a shortfall of 7.61 million nurses by 2030. In the U.S., the nurse turnover rate is alarmingly high at 26.9% (Ren et al., 2024). The scarcity of nursing staff has been directly associated with increased patient mortality rates, ranging from 2.1% to 3.2% (Griffiths et al., 2023). Addressing this workforce crisis is crucial for enhancing patient safety and improving healthcare services. This research assessment focuses on compiling an annotated bibliography to gain deeper insights into the ongoing nursing workforce crisis and explore potential solutions.

Personal Interest and Professional Experience

The workforce shortage in healthcare is a matter of personal and professional concern due to its adverse effects on both healthcare providers and patients. Increased job pressure results in dissatisfaction, higher turnover rates, and compromised patient outcomes. My professional experience has exposed me to scenarios where understaffed facilities force medical personnel to manage excessive patient loads. This situation leads to heightened stress, despair, and reduced productivity. For instance, during my nursing practice, my unit frequently experienced staffing shortages, compelling me and my colleagues to care for more patients than usual. This resulted in severe fatigue, burnout, and ultimately, job dissatisfaction, all of which had a detrimental impact on patient care. Such experiences underscore the urgent need to address staffing shortages to enhance the well-being of healthcare workers and maintain high standards of patient care.

Research and Selection Process

To identify credible and relevant literature on the nursing workforce shortage, I conducted searches using databases such as PubMed, CINAHL, and ProQuest. The research strategy incorporated key terms like “healthcare workforce shortage,” “nurse and physician shortage,” and “solutions to healthcare staffing crisis.” Challenges arose in filtering the most relevant resources, which I addressed using Boolean operators (AND, OR). Additional keywords, such as “staffing shortage and patient safety,” “nurse shortage and burnout,” and “staff retention and care quality,” were used. Filters ensured the selection of peer-reviewed articles published within the last five years. The final selection included three peer-reviewed articles that discuss staffing shortages and potential mitigation strategies.

Assessing the Credibility and Relevance of Sources

Each selected article was evaluated for credibility using the CRAAP test, which examines Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose (Muis et al., 2022). Articles were considered current if published within the last five years. Relevance was determined based on their focus on workforce issues. Authority was assessed by reviewing the authors’ qualifications and the credibility of the journals. Accuracy involved verifying evidence-based citations, while Purpose examined whether the articles provided insights into workforce shortages and solutions. This framework ensured that the selected sources were reliable and pertinent to the nursing workforce crisis.

Table: Summary of Key Research Findings

Summary of Learnings

Developing an annotated bibliography has strengthened my research skills by enhancing my ability to critically evaluate sources and determine their credibility. This process has deepened my understanding of the nursing workforce crisis, preparing me for future academic and professional endeavors. The CRAAP test proved invaluable in assessing peer-reviewed articles, ensuring that the selected research was reliable and relevant.

This research highlights several contributing factors to workforce shortages, including an aging nursing population, excessive workloads, limited professional growth opportunities, negative work environments, and poor teamwork (Marufu et al., 2021). Moreover, potential solutions such as improving the perception of the nursing profession, implementing flexible scheduling, increasing salaries, and revising overtime policies have been identified as effective strategies (Alshahrani, 2022).

The research also underscores specific strategies for addressing staffing shortages in rural areas, such as rural-focused training programs, mandatory service requirements, competitive salaries, and infrastructure improvements (Noya et al., 2021). Synthesizing these sources has deepened my understanding of workforce shortages and the necessity of addressing these issues to enhance patient care and nurse satisfaction.

References

Alshahrani, S. H. (2022). Reasons, consequences, and suggested solutions for nursing workforce shortage: A literature review. International Journal of Health Sciences, 6(S5), 1557–1568. https://doi.org/10.53730/ijhs.v6nS5.9004

Griffiths, P., Saville, C., Ball, J., Dall’Ora, C., Meredith, P., Turner, L., & Jones, J. (2023). Costs and cost-effectiveness of improved nurse staffing levels and skill mix in acute hospitals: A systematic review. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 147, 104601. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijnurstu.2023.104601

Marufu, T. C., Collins, A., Vargas, L., Gillespie, L., & Almghairbi, D. (2021). Factors influencing retention among hospital nurses: Systematic review. British Journal of Nursing, 30(5), 302-308. https://doi.org/10.12968/bjon.2021.30.5.302

NURS FPX 4000 Assessment 2

Muis, R., Denton, C., & Dubé, A. (2022). Identifying CRAAP on the internet: A source evaluation intervention. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 9(7), 239-265. http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.97.12670

Noya, F., Carr, S., Freeman, K., Thompson, S., Clifford, R., & Playford, D. (2021). Strategies to facilitate improved recruitment, development, and retention of the rural and remote medical workforce: A scoping review. International Journal of Health Policy and Management, 11(10), 2022. https://doi.org/10.34172/ijhpm.2021.160

Ren, H., Li, P., Xue, Y., Xin, W., Yin, X., & Li, H. (2024). Global prevalence of nurse turnover rates: A meta‐analysis of 21 studies from 14 countries. Journal of Nursing Management, 2024(1), 5063998. https://doi.org/10.1155/2024/5063998