Nursing Profession Issue: Nurse Staffing Shortages and Policy Solutions

The nurse shortage is a concerning problem that afflicts the healthcare system in the United States and the world. In the US, the shortage is driven by an aging population, increasing healthcare needs, and burnout, which worsened due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Most healthcare organizations struggle to maintain proper nurse staffing, which directly affects the quality of care for patients: Nursing Profession Issue: Nurse Staffing Shortages and Policy Solutions.

Low- and middle-income countries worldwide face even more acute shortages of nurses due to the lack of health infrastructure, which contributes to inequitable access to health services and adverse health outcomes (Haddad et al., 2023). The shortage is particularly in mental healthcare facilities, where early intervention is necessary. Care delays can worsen the patient’s condition, lengthen recovery time, and increase the risk of crisis complications.

As a mental health nurse, the staffing shortage directly affects my practice. Short staffing and increased workload lead to longer patient waiting times, higher error rates, and reduced time for individualized care. In mental health treatment, treatment delay can significantly deteriorate symptoms and outcomes for the patient.

Moreover, burnout among nurses is a significant issue, with experienced nurses leaving their jobs due to relentless stress. This creates even fewer healthcare workers to cater to patient needs, perpetuating a cycle that exacerbates the shortage even more (Tamata & Mohammadnezhad, 2022).

To address this issue, several policy reforms are required. In the US, boosting funds for nursing education programs and offering monetary incentives in the form of loan forgiveness and scholarships can help attract more nurses to the profession. Furthermore, mandating safe nurse-to-patient staffing ratios, as advocated by the American Nurses Association (ANA), helps to prevent burnout and provide safe, quality care (ANA, 2020).

Globally, the International Council of Nurses (ICN) demands more education, better working conditions, and fair compensation, especially in light of resource-limited environments. In summary, tackling the nurse shortage through targeted policies and reforms is crucial to enhancing healthcare quality and ensuring the sustainability of the healthcare system globally.

References

ANA. (2020). Health policy. American Nurses Association. https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/health-policy/

Haddad, L. M., Butler, T. J. T., & Annamaraju, P. (2023, February 13). Nursing shortage. National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493175/

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://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9912424/

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WK 8-10 NATIONAL AND GLOBAL NURSING PROFESSION ISSUES
What issues are affecting healthcare? How do these issues affect you, your practice, and/or your organization? How do these issues affect your patients?

Throughout this course you have identified and supported an advocacy priority, focusing specifically on how best to move the agenda forward. Now is your opportunity to explore a specific issue affecting the nursing profession in the United States and a global health issues.. Nurses hold a front row seat to what is happening in healthcare. Nurses can see what is working and what is not working in the field on a daily basis.

While it can be easy to focus specifically on our own practice and organization, healthcare is a global practice. And considering the impact of global initiatives, policy issues affecting nurses on a global scale can help us to better understand, remedy, connect, and even prepare for current or potential national issues.

For this Discussion, consider what you have learned thus far about the political and social determinants of health and healthcare policy and advocacy.

Identify a nursing issue that many impact you. What can be done about this issue? Who is impacted by this issue? How might policy remedy this issue?

Nursing Profession Issue: Nurse Staffing Shortages and Policy Solutions

To Prepare:

• Review resources about nursing profession issues in the United States. Look specifically at the NLN and ANA website resources.
• Review the global issues explored by the International Council of Nurses.
• Consider a nursing issue that may impact you.
• Consider what might be done about this issue.

By Day 3 of Week 8
Select a nursing profession issue happening in the United States or a global health issue.

Post a response detailing the following:

• Provide a clear and detailed description of the nursing profession issue.
• Explain how you might be impacted by this issue.
• Explore how this issue might be addressed and/or remedied through policy.

• Legislative Agenda.

Text:

• The political determinants of health

Note:

• If needed, the client is specializing in psychiatry and mental health