Title Heading: THE NURSING SHORTAGE AND TURNOVER EPEDIMIC FACING THE HEALTHCARE SECTOR

Huriyyah Davie Final Course Project Keller Graduate School HS542

INTRODUCTION There has been many discussions regarding our current healthcare policies and the many Americans that are not able to utilize the system we have due to lack of medical coverage. Another element, not as popular but has an equal if not worst effect is the shortage of effective and qualified healthcare workers. The region, the state and the nation face severe shortages of a variety of health care workers. The factors contributing to these shortages are varied and complex, and have the potential to seriously undermine the provision of safe, high quality health care in our communities. As the population continues to age, so does our need for health care. With an increase of the number of people requiring health care, changes in health care delivery have altered traditional practices. Hospital stays have decreased, while outpatient stays have increased. Extended and home health care needs are growing rapidly. Yet despite decreases in hospital stays, patient acuity is increasing, thus shifting the burdens of patient care to outpatient settings. The shortage is expected to worsen in coming years as the 78 million people in the post-World War Two baby boom generation begin to hit retirement age. An aging population requires more care for chronic illnesses and at nursing homes. THE PROBLEM Everyday in the healthcare field, the struggle between controlling cost and the requirement of providing patients with a consistent level of quality care threatens to overpower management and nursing staff. Still, for many hospitals across the country, this situation is

as equally important because they are losing the