...IMPACT OF NURSE SHORTAGE ON HOSPITAL‐BASED PATIENT CARE AND NURSES 1 Literature Review Nursing shortage is acknowledged nationwide as a problem in the health care sector that has generated a body of research by various scholars. A review of the existing literature was done using EBSCO Host and Cochrane data bases with the goal of exploring the nature of nursing shortages in hospitals and other health care facilities. The search keywords include nursing shortage, stress, work environment, job satisfaction, economic crisis and hospitals, and quality of patient care. The body of literature reviewed indicated that nursing shortage impacts on the quality of patients’ care, as well as the nurses who feel the direct impact of these shortages. A major research gap in the body of literature was found to be the failure to examine the role of the poor economic conditions that all sectors are being faced with, including the health care sector, in exacerbating the nursing shortages since 2008, which is worsening by the day. Framework This review of literature on nursing shortage was done within the frame work of the general theory of nursing, which explains the purpose of nursing as that of assisting patients to achieve their highest possible level of physical, mental/emotional and spiritual well being. Simply put, the nursing theory is about facilitating healing. But the reality is that some nurses, in no small percentage, are working in conditions that do not lend credence to this...
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...ages, the need for skilled nurses increases. That’s where I come in; I plan on being a registered nurse. There is currently a nursing shortage and very few nurses graduating from their nursing schools and practicing. To top that, the average age of a registered nurse is 45.7 years old, which means that the current nursing shortage will only increase as older nurses start retiring. With the retirement of baby boomers, a good chunk of the population, more available patient care is going to be necessary. There is currently an ever-increasing shortage of registered nurses to provide care for the growing number of people in nursing homes, home health care programs, and hospitals. In order to draw more people to the career of nursing, benefits and salaries for nursing will increase dramatically in the near future. Nurses will get better labor unions and more rights in the Standard of Care. There will be more financial aid available to people trying to obtain an education to become a nurse. Becoming a registered nurse requires attending and graduating from a state-approved nursing school. It must be state approved because nursing in the work force is regulated by the state and local governments, not the federal government. This is also why the licensing exams for becoming a registered nurse, or any kind of nurse for that matter, are controlled by the State Board of Nursing. There will be an estimated shortage of over 434,000 nurses by the year 2020. This shortage is caused by a number of...
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...Versus Supply of Registered Nurses HCS/552 March 19, 2012 Jayme Carrico Demand Versus Supply of Registered Nurses Demand versus supply in the United States continues to be an issue with increasing shortages of registered nurses (RN) and the increasing demand for health care services. There is a higher demand for registered nurses because of the increase in population, aging baby boomers, and increase in chronic diseases. The shortage of registered nurses impacts the health status and quality of life of the population. Factors that impact health care are the importance of supplying adequate nursing personnel and retaining RN’s in the workplace. There is a need to provide resources to educate registered nurses along with recruiting future registered nurses. “Economists use the concepts of demand and supply to inquire how the quantity of services used changes as price changes” (Getzen, 2007, p. 24). The purpose of this paper is to discuss demand versus supply of registered nurses and the effects of consumer demand versus the economic variables of cost, access, and supply. Demand Registered nurses are in more demand than ever before because of the continued nursing shortages. Factors contributing to the shortages are advancements in technology, people are living longer, and the health care needs are more complicated. In the early years nurses were trained to take vital signs, administer shots, and insert catheters. Nurse training in the past was...
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...task of ensuring that their love ones are placed in nursing homes. According to the Center of Disease Control (CDC) (2012), about 1.5 million Americans live in nursing homes and about 22% of 5.3 million people 85 years of age or older had a nursing home stay in 2006. They go on to say, there are approximately 16,000 nursing homes and about 1.7 million nursing home beds in the United States. While only twelve percent of nursing home residents are between the ages of 64-74, 45% are over 85 years of age. It is estimated that anyone over 65 years of age will have a 43% chance of spending some time in a nursing home (Kemper and Murtaugh, 1991) and about 24 % of these individuals will spend less than a year in residence at a nursing home (CDC, 2012). The key employees of the nursing home that have the most interaction and greatest impact with the residents of nursing homes are the registered nurses (RNs), licensed practical nurses (LPNs), and certified nursing assistants (CNAs). For several years the shortage and turnover rate of nursing home staff has long been a serious problem for multiple nursing homes nationwide (Pillemer, et al., 2008). Providing effective and safe quality care in nursing homes requires clinically and interpersonally competent staff. Research findings suggest that inadequate supervisory, managerial, and human resource practices within nursing homes contribute to poor outcomes, including high nursing staff turnover, lower employee satisfaction, and poor...
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...Nursing Shortages and Solutions Seketha Silas Walden University Nurs 3001-6, Issues & Trends in Nursing September 8, 2013 This assignment is about the concerns of the nursing shortage locally, nationally and globally. It will address some of the reasons and solutions for the nursing shortages. The purpose of this paper is to understand the nursing shortages and discuss some implementations that may help to resolve the shortages. Although, the country is experiencing an economic recession, think about January 2014 when millions of Americans will be able to get health insurance. Nursing may be the answer to some of the key healthcare and employment problems the US is struggling with right now. Lindsey (2013) states “with the graying of America has come a shortage of healthcare professionals, especially nurses. From 2009 to 2011, 85 percent of Associate Degree Nursing programs turned away qualified applicants.” (para 1) Nursing programs at some schools are closed due to funding cuts. There is lack of faculty at schools to train nurses. The lack of faculty to train new nurses definitely can cause concern for nursing shortages. Applicants are being turned away. Nurse educators have to endure lower salaries along with unrealistic expectations about their academic roles. Some nursing faculty is expected to balance their academic roles along with advancing their expertise and managing clinical practice. The lower salaries are sometimes lower than their colleagues working in...
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...Registered Nurse Demand Gerri Sroka HCS/552 12/15/14 Chester Brown Registered Nurse Demand Demand versus supply continues to be an issue with the increasing shortages of registered nurses (RN) and the growing demand for health care services. Due to the increase in population, baby boomers aging, and an increase in chronic disease is causing this higher demand for registered nurses. Nursing schools are struggling to expand capacity to meet the needs of the rising demand for care given the national move toward health care reform ("Nursing Shortage", 2014). Registered nurses compromise the largest group of health care professionals. The nursing shortage has caused adverse effects in health care, and nurses are often working long hours under stressful conditions causing them to become burnt-out, injured and fatigued. Patient safety is at risk along with poor quality of care due to the nurses being tired, and they become more prone to making mistakes and medical errors. Demand The request of registered nurses is not new in the health care industry; it has been here for decades. In 2000, the supply of registered nurses was about 1.89 million while the demand was approximately 2 million, causing a shortage of 110,000 ("Nursing Shortage", 2014). The request for nurses is expected to continue to increase and by 2015 quadruple. The lack of nurses is not just limited to the United States but is worldwide. Registered nurses compromise the largest group of health care professionals...
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...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...
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...Enough Nurses Where are all the Nurses? Keller Graduate Health Service Systems HS 541 Professor Williams, J Raymond Wilcher June 04, 2012 Abstract January 2011 kicked off the beginning of an addition of a difficult solution of the Past. Baby boomers begin to retire along with an aging nursing workforce. History has shown that our healthcare system suffering from a continuous shortage of nurses as they are turned away from nursing schools. They are finding this situation very serious with nationwide of issues such as: many people living longer, slow retention of recruitments, and intense healthcare services required by the baby boomers isn’t helping our expanding healthcare care. Intensifying the situation is the schools are struggling to meet the request. The U.S. has experienced a severe shortage of nurses for many years of the past. This shortage continues to increase as hospitals are rising rapidly, as the demand for nurses intensifies. Hospitals are looking for nurses with the desire to give good quality health care and with great experience. The AACN is working with the nursing organizations, and legislature to bring attention to this shortage. According to Rosseter, R director of public affairs at the AACN (2011), “our healthcare problem continues to grow, despite the massive job loss in the past for all major industries.” He also said, “This is best time to become a nurse while salaries are competitive for more recruitment and retainment of nurses.” Unfortunately...
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...assessment and analysis Introduction There is a wide range of problems that nurses are experiencing from their places of work. There are also challenges that they face in regarding their professional development because they do not have the prerequisite skills that are necessary for the provision of care of the highest standards to their patients. Because of the majority of workers who are aging at an increasing rate, it is likely that hospitals will experience a shortage in nursing. It is necessary to have ongoing education for nurses so that to make sure the currency of knowledge so that to enable evidence-based customer care. The education cost is high to both the individual and the organization; therefore, it should be cost effective, appropriate, and relevant (Jacob, & Cherry, 2005). Research indicates that education for nurses is not always planned and developed systematically, and it relies on the interest and assessment area of the nurse educators. According to this paper, it will aim at identifying, analyzing, and assessing the educational needs at LewisGale (LG), which is a long term care facility. This paper will help determine the educational needs that should be addressed and challenges that long term facilities are currently facing. Residential Care Residential care provides care in facilities also known as nursing homes. This is a place where people requiring continual nursing care with significant deficiencies with daily living activities. Residential care...
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...Nursing Shortage Abstract Healthcare industry in United States has always been passing with the issue of shortage of Healthcare professionals . Many of these positions are filled by professionals from different countries . Nursing shortage has been a huge concern since many years and expected to continue in coming years. In past years, country had been dependent on supply of nurses from several parts of the world but alarm had already rang and focuses are made to produce the required resources. In the following article we will discuss some key issues about the reasons of nursing shortage, some factors which could impact in scenario, some economic output of the issue, what policies were made in past and some solution for future are suggested to cope-up with this difficult situation . Key words : Nurses, Shortage, Supplies, Healthcare, resources . Overview In healthcare industry nurses are an integral part. In any care providing organization like Hospitals, Nursing facilities, assisted livings, senior care home etc . the caliber of nursing role is quite high. Appreciating the fact that nurses are most important professionals in patient’s care, the intensity of the issue of nursing ...
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...Versus Supply Of Registered Nurses Health Care Economics HCS/552 May 22, 2011 Pattie Skjerve Demand Versus Supply Of Registered Nurses The writer will discuss the circumstances that play a part in the insufficiency in the supply of nurses, basically, the absence of instructors that are needed in these nursing programs, along with various issues in recruitment and retention of nurses. This paper will also provide detailed statistics that will explain and demonstrate how important the demand for registered nurses will eventually surpass the supply, due to the evolving census of an aging population. The paper agrees that reinvestment in the nursing profession is very important to assure a sufficient supply of nurses that will meet the likely predicted demands of the economy. Let's start in the early 1950s, when the idea or simple thought of becoming a nurse was considered and recognized as one of the most volunteered professions in society. The nurses would make beds and smile happily in the various faces of the different patients, as well as check temperatures. Today, this is somehow not the case, nurses play such an important part in our health care system now, that we have taken them for granted for too long and it is time we realize it by making those necessary changes. The largest group of health care professionals in the United States are composed of Registered Nurses and still we are faced with...
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...Nursing shortage is featured in every magazine, health articles, newspaper, television and other forms of communications. Nursing shortage creates serious concerns not only in the field of medicine but in the consumer’s eyes. Health is considered a basic need of mankind; therefore, everyone is affected in maintaining the health status. Nurses are a major workforce in the provision of health care. Where does this discussion lead? Is there a serious threat? What happens now? Is it global? All these questions pump adrenaline to everyone who is concern about their health status. Health care organizations, specifically hospitals have significantly felt the impact of nursing shortage. Nurses are an integral part of any health care organization; and are known to the health care community as front line workers. The following outline is to discuss a health care situation such as nursing shortage in hospital settings. This outline is to provide a comprehensive overview by analyzing and evaluating the effectiveness of procedures that are in place, and recommend improvement strategies based on economic theories and concepts that support best practices. Key Players Nursing shortage is a work in itself, there is no immediate solution to the problem; therefore, nurses as the key players must be involved in the decision making occurring at every health care organization. As nurses, the sole responsibility lies upon them to establish a safe working environment, ensuring patients and nurses’...
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...go to the emergency room to get the splinter removed so it wouldn’t get infected. I knew right then at that very moment that I wanted to be a nurse. Here are a couple things that I found to be interesting about nursing. Did you know that Jan 27th is school nurse day? Or did you know that in 1783 a black slave named James Derham worked as a nurse in New Orleans, eventually earning enough money to buy his freedom and move to Philadelphia, where he studied medicine and became a doctor? And I also bet that you didn’t know that the largest demand for Licensed Practical Nurses through 2110 will be in nursing homes? Or that the 4th week of May is National Nurses week, which is coming up pretty soon. And May 8th is national Student Nurses’ day (Start a nurse staffing agency). Well I didn’t know any of that either until I started my paper on my nursing career. In December 2010 I finished my schooling for a Licensed Practical Nurse at the JCTC Campus in the accelerated program. I chose to start out at that campus because its only five minutes from my house, and it was only for about ten and a half months. Now that the LPN program is over and I have completed my one hundred and twenty internship hours and passed the NCLEX exam, I am taking a couple more classes along with the ADN program courses. ADN is an Associate’s degree in nursing which is known more commonly as an RN (Registered...
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...Significance Of Nursing In The Implementation Of Health Care Reform Abstract The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act provides for new professional roles and educational opportunities in nursing. As the number of insured Americans increases, so will patient numbers. Increased insureds will increase demands for nursing care as this legislation is fully enacted. The ways in which nurses can provide solutions for enacting the legislation and caring for the millions of newly insured Americans are discussed. The act also provides for professional training and development of advanced practice nurses to meet the demands of increased care and increased patient load. Keywords: healthcare reform, nursing education, nursing roles Significance Of Nursing In The Implementation Of Health Care Reform Healthcare reform has captured our time and attention during the past few months, it has been a long and heated discussion. As the healthcare and its underlying payment system evolve in the face of the new Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act; healthcare for all, a long time dream of many nurses, will be realized. This act requires all Americans to be covered by health insurance by 2014. Goals of the act are to not only enhance access to affordable care but also focus on wellness and prevention,...
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...Registered Nurses: Survey Research Lindsey Rask July 30th, 2011 Job satisfaction within acute, community and public health nursing is imperative to the health care system as it directly affects the entire organization. In most health care settings, nurses hold the majority of positions, and replacement of an licensed personnel can be costly, time consuming, and difficult due to staff shortages. These factors are leading to a decrease in job satisfaction, as they are a major cause of burnout rates within the health care profession. The focus of this study is to explore the career plans, satisfaction levels and professional concerns of registered nurses (RNs), specifically within the Prince Albert Parkland Health Region. Through the use of a interviewed survey, this study will explore what significant number of nurses will choose to seek employment outside of nursing, shift to part-time positions, further their education in the nursing field, retire, or alter their career plans is some way. It will also look at what sort of turnover should be expected among nursing staff, if there is a perceived shortage of professionals in their field, and whether they would recommend nursing as a career to others. Nursing is the nation’s largest healthcare profession, with more than 3.1 million RNs nationwide. Of all licensed RNs, 2.6 million or 84.8 percent are employed in nursing, leaving about 500,000 licensed nurses that do not work in the nursing field, but...
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