Walden University NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues-Step-By-Step Guide
This guide will demonstrate how to complete the Walden University NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues assignment based on general principles of academic writing. Here, we will show you the A, B, Cs of completing an academic paper, irrespective of the instructions. After guiding you through what to do, the guide will leave one or two sample essays at the end to highlight the various sections discussed below.
How to Research and Prepare for NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues
Whether one passes or fails an academic assignment such as the Walden University NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues depends on the preparation done beforehand. The first thing to do once you receive an assignment is to quickly skim through the requirements. Once that is done, start going through the instructions one by one to clearly understand what the instructor wants. The most important thing here is to understand the required format—whether it is APA, MLA, Chicago, etc.
After understanding the requirements of the paper, the next phase is to gather relevant materials. The first place to start the research process is the weekly resources. Go through the resources provided in the instructions to determine which ones fit the assignment. After reviewing the provided resources, use the university library to search for additional resources. After gathering sufficient and necessary resources, you are now ready to start drafting your paper.
How to Write the Introduction for NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues
The introduction for the Walden University NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues is where you tell the instructor what your paper will encompass. In three to four statements, highlight the important points that will form the basis of your paper. Here, you can include statistics to show the importance of the topic you will be discussing. At the end of the introduction, write a clear purpose statement outlining what exactly will be contained in the paper. This statement will start with “The purpose of this paper…” and then proceed to outline the various sections of the instructions.
How to Write the Body for NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues
After the introduction, move into the main part of the NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues assignment, which is the body. Given that the paper you will be writing is not experimental, the way you organize the headings and subheadings of your paper is critically important. In some cases, you might have to use more subheadings to properly organize the assignment. The organization will depend on the rubric provided. Carefully examine the rubric, as it will contain all the detailed requirements of the assignment. Sometimes, the rubric will have information that the normal instructions lack.
Another important factor to consider at this point is how to do citations. In-text citations are fundamental as they support the arguments and points you make in the paper. At this point, the resources gathered at the beginning will come in handy. Integrating the ideas of the authors with your own will ensure that you produce a comprehensive paper. Also, follow the given citation format. In most cases, APA 7 is the preferred format for nursing assignments.
How to Write the Conclusion for NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues
After completing the main sections, write the conclusion of your paper. The conclusion is a summary of the main points you made in your paper. However, you need to rewrite the points and not simply copy and paste them. By restating the points from each subheading, you will provide a nuanced overview of the assignment to the reader.
How to Format the References List for NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues
The very last part of your paper involves listing the sources used in your paper. These sources should be listed in alphabetical order and double-spaced. Additionally, use a hanging indent for each source that appears in this list. Lastly, only the sources cited within the body of the paper should appear here.
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NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues
The healthcare issue selected for analysis is the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, and their impact on the healthcare system. Chronic diseases are long-term conditions that require ongoing medical attention and often lead to disability and premature death if not properly managed (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2020).
In my work setting, this healthcare issue can have significant impacts.As a healthcare provider, the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases puts a strain on resources and personnel in our work setting. We need to allocate more time and attention to managing patients with chronic conditions, which can result in longer waiting times for appointments and increased workload for healthcare professionals. This may also contribute to potential burnout among staff members (Auerbach, Staiger, & Buerhaus, 2018).
Social Determinants: Various social determinants of health influence the prevalence of chronic diseases. These determinants include socioeconomic status, education, access to healthcare services, and community support systems (Dahlgren & Whitehead, 2020). For instance, individuals with lower socioeconomic status may have limited access to healthy food options and face barriers to healthcare services, increasing their risk of developing chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. Additionally, lack of education regarding healthy lifestyle choices and limited community resources for physical activity may contribute to the rising prevalence of these diseases.
Response of the Health System Work Setting: Healthcare work settings have implemented several changes to address the increasing prevalence of chronic diseases. These changes aim to enhance prevention, early detection, management, and education related to chronic conditions. Here are a few examples: Work settings have established comprehensive programs that focus on the management and prevention of chronic diseases. These programs may involve regular screenings, health assessments, and targeted interventions for individuals at risk or already diagnosed with chronic conditions (CDC, 2020).Healthcare work settings have prioritized patient education to improve self-management skills and promote healthier lifestyle choices. This includes providing resources, educational materials, and support groups to empower patients in managing their chronic conditions effectively (Jacobs, McGovern, Heinmiller, & Drenkard, 2018). Work settings have formed partnerships with community organizations, such as local fitness centers, nutritionists, and support groups, to create a supportive environment for individuals with chronic diseases. These collaborations aim to increase access to resources and promote community-wide health initiatives (CDC, 2020).
Health system work settings have integrated technology solutions, such as electronic health records, remote monitoring devices, and telehealth services, to improve chronic disease management. These technological advancements facilitate better communication, enhance care coordination, and provide more convenient access to healthcare services for patients (Auerbach et al., 2018).
The increasing prevalence of chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, presents significant challenges to healthcare work settings. Social determinants of health, such as socioeconomic status and access to healthcare, play a crucial role in driving these conditions. However, health system work settings have responded proactively by implementing chronic disease management programs, emphasizing patient education, collaborating with community organizations, and integrating technology solutions. These initiatives aim to enhance prevention, management, and overall outcomes for individuals with chronic diseases.
References
Auerbach, D. I., Staiger, D. O., & Buerhaus, P. I. (2018). Growing ranks of advanced practice clinicians – Implications for the physician workforce. The New England Journal of Medicine, 378(25), 2358-2360.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2020). Social determinants of health. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/socialdeterminants/index.htm
Dahlgren, G., & Whitehead, M. (2020). Policies and strategies to promote social equity in health. In S. S. O’Campo & R. F. Dunn (Eds.), Rethinking social epidemiology: Towards a science of change (pp. 137-160). Springer.
Jacobs, B., McGovern, J., Heinmiller, J., & Drenkard, K. (2018). The case for an essential role for professional nursing in the future of health care. Nursing Outlook, 66(6), 644-651.
NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues
A national healthcare issue of concern is the perennial nursing shortage. Statistics at national and international levels show that the shortage of healthcare worker (HCWs) is profound and affects effective and quality service delivery. The World Health Organization (WHO) projects that nursing shortage could hit 12.9 million by 2035 (Marc et al., 2018). Nursing shortage creates unsafe working environment and increases fatigue, high turnover rates, and make nurses susceptible to medication administration errors. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the situation as the demand for healthcare services has increased, leading to more strain and burden on nurses, especially those working in critical care settings and others with elderly patient populations with chronic and terminal conditions.
Nursing shortage has impacted my work setting negatively as we enhance efforts to provide care to a patient diversity coming to the facility. Low staff retention, reduced levels of patient’s satisfaction, and a rise in hospital acquired infections are some of the negative effects of nursing shortage in our facility. When patient workload exceeds the available shift nurses, patients experience low levels of satisfaction. Unsafe staffing ratios contribute to burnout and high turnover rates (Alenezi et al., 2018). Further, increased length of stay happens due to higher nurse-to-patient ratios lead to more complications and a rise of hospital acquired infections.
Many healthcare settings are struggling in responding to nursing shortage because of the few options available (Marshall & Broome, 2017). Our facility is now leveraging technologies like telehealth to enhance access and quality for patients with chronic conditions like diabetes and hypertension who require constant monitoring. While studies show that nursing supply may exceed demand in the near future, using technologies and innovative models like increased training and flexibility can help organizations mitigate the adverse effects of nursing shortage.
References
Alenezi, A. M., Aboshaiqah, A., & Baker, O. (2018). Work‐related stress among nursing staff
working in government hospitals and primary health care centers. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 24(5). doi: 10.1111/ijn.12676
Marc, M., Bartosiewicz, A., Burzynska, J., Chmiel, Z., & Januszewicz, P. (2018). A
nursing shortage – a prospect of global and local policies. International Nursing Review, 66(1), 9-16. DOI: 10.1111/inr.12473.
Marshall, E. S., & Broome, M. E. (2017). Transformational leadership in nursing: From expert
clinician to influential leader (2nd ed.). New York, NY: Springer
Nurses work in different settings with varying work demands, support mechanisms, and
NURS 6053 Discussion Review of Current Healthcare Issues
approaches to work. Regardless of these differences, healthcare stressors are part of everyday work. These stressors are usually workplace challenges widespread in the United States that hamper nurses’ ability to deliver timely and effective care (Rose et al., 2021). The nursing shortage is a prevalent national stressor with far-reaching effects on patient care. It is characterized by higher demand for nurses than the current supply.
The effects of the nursing shortage witnessed in other organizations may be experienced in my work setting. As Shah et al. (2021) explained, the nursing shortage is a leading cause of burnout among nurses. It increases the nurse-patient ratio implying that nurses are overworked and may lack time for self-care and other activities that enhance commitment to work. Shah et al. (2021) further observed that nurses experiencing burnout are more likely to commit medical errors than nurses working within the standard nurse-patient ratios. Errors risk patient safety and damage patients’ trust in healthcare providers. Burnout triggers turnover and increases an organization’s management costs since replacing nurses is costly.
To avert the damaging effects of the nursing shortage, healthcare organizations should implement robust strategies, both staff-centered and organization-wide. My healthcare setting has responded to the nursing shortage through continuous supervision of staff, motivation programs, and formulating policies that prevent work overload. As Lee and Lee (2022) noted, nurse motivation is critical to creating a positive work atmosphere and retaining nurses. The same perspective guides the management when developing and implementing motivation programs. Regarding the changes that may have been implemented, nurses need mental strength to cope with the increasing workload. As a result, the management should invest more in coping programs and organize appropriate training initiatives to improve nurses’ resilience.
References
Lee, J. Y., & Lee, M. H. (2022). Structural model of retention intention of nurses in small-and medium-sized hospitals: Based on Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene theory. Healthcare, 10(3), 502. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10030502
Rose, S., Hartnett, J., & Pillai, S. (2021). Healthcare worker’s emotions, perceived stressors and coping mechanisms during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One, 16(7), e0254252. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0254252
Shah, M. K., Gandrakota, N., Cimiotti, J. P., Ghose, N., Moore, M., & Ali, M. K. (2021). Prevalence of and factors associated with nurse burnout in the US. JAMA Network Open, 4(2), e2036469-e2036469. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2020.36469
Staffing Shortages as a National Health are Issue/Stressor
Staffing shortages in the health care industry has become a significant issue and stressor all over the nation. Nurses work extremely hard and that is not a secret. With imminent staffing shortages in the health care profession and an increase in the volume of patients seeking care services, patient loads are increasing rapidly, thus making it difficult for nurses already short staff to manage all patient care needs effectively and efficiently (Bakhamis et al.,2019).
The United States has a massive nursing shortage, and the problem is only set to grow. Due to an influx of patients into our health system, the retirement of baby boomers, and educational bottlenecks, nursing positions are not being filled fast enough to keep up with demand (Xue et al., 2016 are millions of registered and licensed practical nurses in the United States. Most of these n). Nurses overworked and understaffed on the front lines. There urses, however, are not happy and comfortable in their work, they are stress, overworked, underappreciated, and underutilized leading to significant impact on the delivery of care.
Impact on Work Setting
Staffing shortages can have a significant impact on the quality of work, on productivity, creativity, competitiveness, nursing care outcomes, and on ensuring patients’ safety (Norful et al., 2018). At my health care organization due to staffing shortage, nurses sometimes work long hours because other nurses calling in sick, running one to four hours late from working under very stressful conditions resulting in burnout, injury, fatigue, and job dissatisfaction. Nurses suffering in my health care facility delay treatments and make other mistakes due to the relationship of the nurse-to-patient ratio (Xue et al., 2016). An unfortunate outcome is that patient quality of care suffers, resulting in a variety of complications including emergency room overcrowding and delay of treatment.
Organizational Response and Changes Implemented
A range of solutions has been offered as a way to solve the nursing shortage in my health care organization from subsidized funding, hiring new nurses, wage increases, and contracting with nursing agencies for nurses to fill in periodically. My health care organization provides tuition for nurses seeking to advance their degree. In addition, resources have been allocated towards increasing wages which has affected recruitment as well as retention of Registered Nurses already in the facility.
Another important strategy to further address the nursing shortage is that, nurses are allowed scheduling flexibility and coverage. This has help nurses to juggle their busy work schedule with home life and educational opportunities, and also allows room for decompressing between stressful, emotionally demanding shifts and days of work.
Health care of the nation, and patients, in particular will benefit the most from adequate staffing and a healthy and well rested nurse because efficiency and productivity will increase, the number of work-related mistakes at the same time will reduce, sick leaves are going to be rare, shorter, and burnout will not occur often (Norful et al., 2018). By introducing said strategies, we would not only increase staffing in health care but equally, reduce the stress-related illness rate among nurses and would also significantly raise the quality of healthcare and patient outcomes.
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Discussion: Review of Current Healthcare Issues
If you were to ask 10 people what they believe to be the most significant issue facing healthcare today, you might get 10 different answers. Escalating costs? Regulation? Technology disruption?
These and many other topics are worthy of discussion. Not surprisingly, much has been said in the research, within the profession, and in the news about these topics. Whether they are issues of finance, quality, workload, or outcomes, there is no shortage of changes to be addressed.
In this Discussion, you examine a national healthcare issue and consider how that issue may impact your work setting. You also analyze how your organization has responded to this issue.
To Prepare:
Review the Resources and select one current national healthcare issue/stressor to focus on.
Reflect on the current national healthcare issue/stressor you selected and think about how this issue/stressor may be addressed in your work setting.
By Day 3 of Week 1
Post a description of the national healthcare issue/stressor you selected for analysis, and explain how the healthcare issue/stressor may impact your work setting. Then, describe how your health system work setting has responded to the healthcare issue/stressor, including a description of what changes may have been implemented. Be specific and provide examples.
The national healthcare issue chosen is the shortage of qualified healthcare professionals. The COVID-19 pandemic and other disasters made managing patient surges difficult due to a lack of staff. According to Norful et al. (2018), In the face of impending staffing shortages within the healthcare industry and the growing influx of patients seeking primary care services, the task of effectively and efficiently managing all patient care needs can present itself as quite a challenging endeavor for a lone primary care professional. The lack of experts at my workplace can increase the workload and stress on the current personnel. Because fewer healthcare professionals are accessible, there is a greater likelihood that each person will have a heavier task and experience burnout and tiredness. This could impact the standard of treatment given to patients and the results for those patients.
The lack of trained educators is one of the social determinants that significantly affects this health problem. In their study, Marć et al. (2019) shed light on a pressing challenge facing the education of upcoming nursing professionals—a scarcity of faculty positions coupled with a shortage of highly skilled educators. The capacity to train and educate an adequate number of nursing students is hampered by this teacher shortage, exacerbating the scarcity of healthcare professionals. According to Prakash et al. (2018), the rising commercialization of healthcare and the lack of supervisors to oversee students’ clinical practice are also significant barriers to nursing education. My place of employment has made several changes in response to this healthcare concern. Actively seeking out and keeping qualified nursing personnel is one strategy. By embracing a culture of fairness, we encourage growth by offering competitive pay and benefits while fostering a healthy workplace that promotes achievement. Additionally, my workplace has put in place efforts to boost nurse retention and worker happiness. These include introducing flexible scheduling alternatives, providing new nurses with mentoring and support programs, and prioritizing work-life balance efforts.
Staffing Shortages as a National Health are Issue/Stressor
Staffing shortages in the health care industry has become a significant issue and stressor all over the nation. Nurses work extremely hard and that is not a secret. With imminent staffing shortages in the health care profession and an increase in the volume of patients seeking care services, patient loads are increasing rapidly, thus making it difficult for nurses already short staff to manage all patient care needs effectively and efficiently (Bakhamis et al.,2019). The United States has a massive nursing shortage, and the problem is only set to grow. Due to an influx of patients into our health system, the retirement of baby boomers, and educational bottlenecks, nursing positions are not being filled fast enough to keep up with demand (Xue et al., 2016). Nurses overworked and understaffed on the front lines. There are millions of registered and licensed practical nurses in the United States. Most of these nurses, however, are not happy and comfortable in their work, they are stress, overworked, underappreciated, and underutilized leading to significant impact on the delivery of care.
Impact on Work Setting
Staffing shortages can have a significant impact on the quality of work, on productivity, creativity, competitiveness, nursing care outcomes, and on ensuring patients’ safety (Norful et al., 2018). At my health care organization due to staffing shortage, nurses sometimes work long hours because other nurses calling in sick, running one to four hours late from working under very stressful conditions resulting in burnout, injury, fatigue, and job dissatisfaction. Nurses suffering in my health care facility delay treatments and make other mistakes due to the relationship of the nurse-to-patient ratio (Xue et al., 2016). An unfortunate outcome is that patient quality of care suffers, resulting in a variety of complications including emergency room overcrowding and delay of treatment.
Organizational Response and Changes Implemented
A range of solutions has been offered as a way to solve the nursing shortage in my health care organization from subsidized funding, hiring new nurses, wage increases, and contracting with nursing agencies for nurses to fill in periodically. My health care organization provides tuition for nurses seeking to advance their degree. In addition, resources have been allocated towards increasing wages which has affected recruitment as well as retention of Registered Nurses already in the facility.
Another important strategy to further address the nursing shortage is that, nurses are allowed scheduling flexibility and coverage. This has help nurses to juggle their busy work schedule with home life and educational opportunities, and also allows room for decompressing between stressful, emotionally demanding shifts and days of work.
Health care of the nation, and patients, in particular will benefit the most from adequate staffing and a healthy and well rested nurse because efficiency and productivity will increase, the number of work-related mistakes at the same time will reduce, sick leaves are going to be rare, shorter, and burnout will not occur often (Norful et al., 2018). By introducing said strategies, we would not only increase staffing in health care but equally, reduce the stress-related illness rate among nurses and would also significantly raise the quality of healthcare and patient outcomes.
References
Bakhamis, L., Paul, D.P., Smith, H., & Coustasse, A. (2019). Still an Epidemic: The Burnout
Syndrome in Hospital Registered Nurses. Health Care Manag (Frederick); 38(1):3-10
Norful, A. A., de Jacq, K., Carlino, R., & Poghosyan, L. (2018). Nurse practitioner-physician
comanagement: A theoretical model to alleviate primary care strain. Annals of Family
Xue, Y., Ye, Z., Brewer, C., & Spetz, J. (2016). Impact of state nurse practitioner scope-of-
practice regulation on health care delivery: a systematic review. Nurs Outlook;
64(1):71-85.
By Day 6 of Week 1
Respond to at least two of your colleagues on two different days who chose a different national healthcare issue/stressor than you selected. Explain how their chosen national healthcare issue/stressor may also impact your work setting and what (if anything) is being done to address the national healthcare issue/stressor.
Review of Current Healthcare Issues
The resiliency of providers working in primary care is a significant issue facing healthcare, with provider burnout to the lack of new providers entering the workforce. With new Medicare, Medicaid, and Commercial insurance, primary care providers are shifting from quantity to quality in healthcare-based payment. The new quality metrics are causing stress on an already overwhelming patient load in primary care and contributing to provider burnout. (Adler et al., 2018)
Working as an RN Clinical Supervisor in primary care, the workforce’s resiliency has decreased as providers strive to meet quality performance but also see and treat acute illness during a pandemic. In the last year, four providers have either left to treat only acute patients in Urgent Care Centers, or others have moved to specialty care as Advance Practice Nurses (APNs). The strain and resilience of the impacts of retention with shortages in nurses in primary care and lack of certified medical assistants (CMAs). (Marshall & Broome, 2021, p. 69) Along with restraints placed on APNs practicing with their autonomy instead of regulations of an overseeing physician. In North Carolina, Nurse Practitioners can only practice under contract with a Medical Doctor. These cause provider resiliency and workforce shortages and impact recruitment and the workforce. (Marshall & Broome, 2021)
Leaders within my organization are using tools to mitigate provider burnout by teaching how to effectively use the electronic health record EHR to improve the quality of care and document the interventions being used. A CMA academy has been designed within the organization to increase the workforce within primary care and to train CMAs to start provider notes and to practice to the top of their certifications. At the same time, nurses are allowed to practice at the top of their license.
Incentives are in place for Bachelor prepared nurses to return to school with tuition reimbursement incentives to further education to allow them to broaden their practice. Growing the ranks of advanced practice nurses and allowing them to practice side by side as partners with providers can enable the implications to help the physicians in the process and relieve strain and burnout. (Auerbach et al., 2018) This year within our organization, an extra forty hours of paid time off was given to help reduce burnout. Free counseling is offered to employees experiencing any strain, stress, or behavioral health issues.
Quality of care improves when resiliency in the workforce improves, productivity improves, effectiveness and safety, and patient outcomes.
References
Adler, R. N., Hamdan, S., Scanlon, C., & Altman, W. (2018). Quality measures: How to get them right. Family Practice Management, 25(4), 23–28.
Auerbach, D. I., Staiger, D. O., & Buerhaus, P. I. (2018). Growing ranks of advanced practice clinicians — implications for the physician workforce. New England Journal of Medicine, 378(25), 2358–2360. https://doi.org/10.1056/nejmp1801869
Marshall, E. S., & Broome, M. (2021). Transformational leadership in nursing (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing Company LLC.
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Submission and Grading Information
Grading Criteria
To access your rubric:
Week 1 Discussion Rubric
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Post by Day 3 and Respond by Day 6 of Week 1
To participate in this Discussion:
Week 1 Discussion
Module 1: Healthcare Environment (Weeks 1-2)
Laureate Education (Producer). (2018). The Healthcare Environment [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
Learning Objectives
Students will:
Analyze current national healthcare issues/stressors
Analyze the impact of national healthcare issues/stressors on healthcare organizations
Analyze strategies for addressing national healthcare issues/stressors
Due By
Assignment
Week 1, Days 1–2
Read the Learning Resources.
Compose your initial Discussion post.
Week 1, Day 3
Post your initial Discussion post.
Begin to compose your Assignment.
Week 1, Days 4-5
Review peer Discussion posts.
Compose your peer Discussion responses.
Continue to compose your Assignment.
Week 1, Day 6
Post two peer Discussion responses.
Week 2, Days 1–6
Continue to compose your Assignment.
Week 2, Day 7
Deadline to submit your Assignment.
Learning Resources
Required Readings
Broome, M., & Marshall, E. S. (2021). Transformational leadership in nursing: From expert clinician to influential leader (3rd ed.). New York, NY: Springer.
Chapter 2, “Transformational Leadership: Complexity, Change, and Strategic Planning” (pp. 34–62)
Chapter 3, “Current Challenges in Complex Health Care Organizations and the Quadruple Aim” (pp. 66–97)
Read any TWO of the following (plus TWO additional readings on your selected issue):
https://human-resources-health.biomedcentral.com/track/pdf/10.1186/s12960-016-0154-3
Required Media
Laureate Education (Producer). (2015). Leading in Healthcare Organizations of the Future [Video file]. Baltimore, MD: Author.
The national healthcare issue that I want to bring to attention is nursing shortages. Nursing shortages have been around for a long time, but they have now reached critical levels in many countries including the US. Nursing shortages have been affecting the whole country, there are currently 7.3 million nurse shortages globally. The 2020 State of the World’s Nursing report by the World Health Organization evidenced that, by 2030, there will be a critical global shortage of 5.7 million nurses. To help all countries deal with nursing shortages by 2030, the WHO estimates that 8% more nurses need to graduate annually and be supported to be employed and retained in the profession (Marc, 2021). Many nurses are burnt out and exhausted by their work, and the threat of greater attrition is real because of the pandemic.
Nursing shortages lead to errors, higher morbidity, and mortality rates. In hospitals with high patient-to-nurse ratios, nurses experience burnout, and dissatisfaction and the patients experienced higher mortality and failure-to-rescue rates than in facilities with lower patient-to-nurse ratios (Heinz, 2018). shortage of nurses leads to an increase in the workload of the existing workforce, which results in a predictable increase in medication errors. Close to half of all nurses employed have admitted to committing a medication error in the past year.
Errors may range from infusing medicines at the wrong rate (most common) to giving the wrong medicine or mixing up medicines between patients, which easily can result in fatal consequences (Ghafoor et al., 2021). I work in a behavioral health facility, and we are faced with staff shortages daily leaving the whole team with an extra workload, leaving the house supervisor to multitask pretty much doing two people’s work. This causes a delay in medication administration, delays in sending patients to lunch on time, delays in activity, and group which affects all the units in the hospital.
Our hospital changed the shift schedule, we used to have 12 hours shift now the facility is offering eight hours and 12 hours shifts making it durable for nurses and aims to reduce burnout. The organization is also offering bonuses to those individuals who sign on to become nurses and to pick up shifts in case of shortages. Major investment in nursing by governments needs to occur to enable millions more nurses to graduate and to ensure positions for them are established and sustained. Nurses around the world need to collaborate and work closely across borders and regions to gather evidence about the profession to inform policy and investment decisions.
Nursing leaders and educators have key roles to play to help overcome nursing shortages. Many nursing organizations, scholars, and leaders have recognized the ongoing and deleterious effects of nursing shortages on positive patient outcomes and health service provision, as well as the potential to further exacerbate shortfalls in the profession (Bourgault, 2022). Quite simply, if nurses must work in situations of nursing shortages, they are more likely to be overworked, exhausted and leave nursing.
References
Bourgault, A. M. (2022). The Nursing Shortage and Work Expectations Are in Critical Condition: Is Anyone Listening? Critical Care Nurse, 42(2), 8–11. https://doi.org/10.4037/ccn2022909
Ghafoor, Y., Yaqoob, M. A., Bilal, M. A., & Ghafoor, M. S. (2021). Impact of nurse shortage on patient care. Saudi J Nurs Heal Care, 4(4), 114-9. https:// 10.36348/sjnhc.2021.v04i04.003114-9. https:// 10.36348/sjnhc.2021.v04i04.003
Heinz, D. (2018). Hospital nurse staffing and patient outcomes: a review of current literature. Dimensions of Critical Care Nursing, 23(1), 44-50. Retrieved from https://search-ebscohost-com.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/login.aspx?direct=true&db=rzh&AN=106723823&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Marc, M., Bartosiewicz, A., Burzynska, J., Chmiel, Z., & Januszewicz, P. (2021). A nursing shortage – a prospect of global and local policies. International Nursing Review, 66(1), 9 16. Retrieved from http://dx.doi.org/http://dx.doi.org.ezp.waldenulibrary.org/10.1111/inr.12473
The value of nursing care has a direct relationship with quality and safety outcomes. The nursing shortage is a persistent national health issue affecting the ability of nurses to provide effective nursing care to patients; thus, undermining the safety and quality of care. The effects of the nursing shortage in healthcare are multifaceted impacting nurses, patients, and healthcare organizations. Nursing shortage leads to work overload, resulting in burnout and stress for nurses.
According to studies, burnout and stress has multiple negative outcomes, including medication errors, adverse events, high rates of infections, patient safety issues, poor nurse performance, high turnover rates, increased length of hospital stay, and negative patient experience(Dall’Ora et al., 2020). These factors have quality and safety implications as hospitals struggle to enhance the patient experience, reduce infection, adverse events, length of hospital stay, and other quality indicators and improve overall population health. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the effects of the nursing shortage at my organization and identify possible strategies for remedying the healthcare stressor from scholarly sources.
National Healthcare Issue/Stressor and Its Impact on the Organization
A recent quality assessment and audit at my organization revealed several issues negatively impacting quality and safety outcomes. First, the review noted a higher rate of hospital-acquired infections (HAI) than the value of last year’s review. Secondly, the assessment also pointed out that some patients had a longer hospital stay (LOS) than necessary. Thirdly, the review revealed significant cases of medication errors and adverse events such as avoidable patient falls. A separate assessment investigating the experience of nurses and patients with work and care, respectively, also showed that nurses are stressed because of the high workload. A significant portion of the patient population surveyed reported a low level of satisfaction with the services and care experience. Equally, nurses reported high workload, stress, and low job satisfaction.
Summary of Two Articles
The article, A nursing shortage – a prospect of global and local policies, examines the factors driving nursing shortage around the world, primarily, the rising population of senior citizens. According to the article, the nursing shortage has no single cause but multiple interrelated factors. Some of the contributors tothe nursing shortage include ineffective planning and utilization of nursing resources, demographic changes, and poor recruitment practices (Marć et al., 2018). The authors provide strategies for addressing the nursing shortage from policies point of view.
Similarly, the article, Discuss Reasons for Acute and Chronic Problems with The Crisis of Nursing, acknowledges that recruitment and retention of nurses remains a crisis in countries worldwide. The author argues that one of the causes of the perennial nursing shortage is the nursing education structure, which dwells on theory and allocates less time for practical experience (Wada, 2020). As such, nurses enter the profession with less practical experience, giving them anxiety and a high tendency to quit. Additionally, the article notes that time constraints and high workloads limit the nurses’ ability to deliver ideal care(Wada, 2020).
Recognizing the negative implications of the nursing shortage, organizations have come up with strategies attempting to address the issue and enhance patient outcomes. One of the strategies implemented in other organizations is an onboarding program to reduce new nurses’ turnover rates. A recent RN Staffing report reveals that the turnover rate for novice nurses is 18.7%, a 2.8% increase from the 2020 survey (NSI Nursing Solutions, 2021). Novice nurses are likely to resign because of poor organizational culture, bullying, challenging clinical environment, and feelings of isolation. Onboarding programs help new nurses feel welcomed, supported, and part of the community. The second strategy used in other organizations is long-term training and development of nurses. Studies link training and development to motivation, staff engagement, better performance, and staff satisfaction, reducing turnover rates (Zahoor & Mustafa, 2020).
Summary of Strategies Used To Address the Organizational Impact of Nursing Shortage
The articles selected provide various strategies for addressing nurse shortages. According to Wada (2020),higher wages attract and retain nurses leading to a low turnover rate. Additionally, improving the relationship between nurses and physicians and other healthcare workers is essential as nurses want recognition and respect, enhancing motivation. An additional strategy is to identify and address the negative factors affecting the work environment, such as hard shifts and heavy workload. Similarly, managerial support and the adoption of information technology to eliminate manual work are also strategies for improving nurse retention rates (Wada, 2020).
Strategies reported by Marć et al. (2018) include salary regulation to ensure fair compensation, creating a positive work environment, implementing information technology, and introducing lifelong learning for professional development. My organization can benefit from these strategies to improve staff retention. For example, introducing an onboarding program for novice nurses is a good idea, as most face challenges acclimatizing with the organizational culture, work environment, and challenging shifts, causing them frustrations that lead to turnover. Nevertheless, the organization will face challenges implementing some of these strategies; for example, salary increase and training and development require resources, yet, the organization’s financial resources are already strained.
Conclusion
Nurse shortage is a profound health stressor that undermines quality and safe care services to patients and populations. Scholarly articles provide several strategies to address the problem, promote nurse retention, and improve the quality and safety of care. One strategy is increasing wages to ensure fair compensation for the challenging nursing work and enhance motivation. The second strategy is introducing training and development to help nurses learn new skills and knowledge and attain professional development. Other techniques are creating a positive work environment, implementing an onboarding program for new nurses, effective management, and implementing information technology to reduce workload.
References
Dall’Ora, C., Ball, J., Reinius, M., & Griffiths, P. (2020). Burnout in nursing: a theoretical review. Hum Resour Health, 18, 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-020-00469-9.
Marć, M., Bartosiewicz, R., Burzyńska, J., Chmiel, Z., & Januszewicz, P. (2018). A nursing shortage – a prospect of global and local policies. International Nursing Review, 9-16. https://doi.org/10.1111/inr.12473.
NSI Nursing Solutions. (2021). 2021 NSI National Health Care Retention & RN Staffing Report. NSI Nursing Solutions, Inc.
Wada, Y. (2020). Discuss reasons for acute and chronic problems with the crisis of nursing shortage in relation to nursing education and review The Strategies and. Nursing & Primary Care, 4(4), 1-4. https://www.scivisionpub.com/pdfs/discuss-reasons-for-acute-and-chronic-problems-with-the-crisis-of-nursing-shortage-in-relation-to-nursing-education-and-review-the-1337.pdf.
Zahoor, H., & Mustafa, N. (2020). Training and development and health workers’ motivation and performance. Intraders.
Nurses work in different settings with varying work demands, support mechanisms, and approaches to work. Regardless of these differences, healthcare stressors are part of everyday work. These stressors are usually workplace challenges widespread in the United States that hamper nurses’ ability to deliver timely and effective care (Rose et al., 2021). The nursing shortage is a prevalent national stressor with far-reaching effects on patient care. It is characterized by higher demand for nurses than the current supply.
The effects of the nursing shortage witnessed in other organizations may be experienced in my work setting. As Shah et al. (2021) explained, the nursing shortage is a leading cause of burnout among nurses. It increases the nurse-patient ratio implying that nurses are overworked and may lack time for self-care and other activities that enhance commitment to work. Shah et al. (2021) further observed that nurses experiencing burnout are more likely to commit medical errors than nurses working within the standard nurse-patient ratios. Errors risk patient safety and damage patients’ trust in healthcare providers. Burnout triggers turnover and increases an organization’s management costs since replacing nurses is costly.
To avert the damaging effects of the nursing shortage, healthcare organizations should implement robust strategies, both staff-centered and organization-wide. My healthcare setting has responded to the nursing shortage through continuous supervision of staff, motivation programs, and formulating policies that prevent work overload. As Lee and Lee (2022) noted, nurse motivation is critical to creating a positive work atmosphere and retaining nurses. The same perspective guides the management when developing and implementing motivation programs. Regarding the changes that may have been implemented, nurses need mental strength to cope with the increasing workload. As a result, the management should invest more in coping programs and organize appropriate training initiatives to improve nurses’ resilience.
References
Lee, J. Y., & Lee, M. H. (2022). Structural model of retention intention of nurses in small-and medium-sized hospitals: Based on Herzberg’s Motivation-Hygiene theory. Healthcare, 10(3), 502. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10030502
Rose, S., Hartnett, J., & Pillai, S. (2021). Healthcare worker’s emotions, perceived stressors and coping mechanisms during the COVID-19 pandemic. PLoS One, 16(7), e0254252. https://doi.org/10.1371/journ