Nursing Shortage Report: NURS 6053, Walden University, March 2020

This report analyzes the nursing shortage, a critical issue in healthcare, particularly in the US. The aging population, increased demand for healthcare services, and an aging nursing workforce contribute significantly to this shortage. The report highlights the impact of nursing shortages on patient outcomes, including increased medical errors and mortality rates, as well as the effects on nursing staff, such as burnout and dissatisfaction. It summarizes findings from various articles, emphasizing factors like demographics, work environment, and resource allocation. Strategies to address the shortage, such as salary regulation, improved working conditions, and technological innovations, are discussed. The report concludes by stressing the importance of favorable nursing policies and respect for the nursing profession to mitigate the challenges posed by the nursing shortage. Desklib provides access to this and other solved assignments for students.

Running head: SHORTAGE OF NURSING STAFF 1
Nursing Shortage
Euphemia Okeke
Walden University
NURS 6053
03/08/2020
Dr. E. Townsley

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Nursing Shortage
Nursing accounts for the largest proportion of healthcare professionals and is a critical
part of healthcare. However, the shortage of nursing staff has become a major issue of concern
(Haddad & Toney-Butler, 2020). The aging population in the US significantly contributes to the
shortage due to the increased demand for healthcare services. (Buerhaus, Skinner, Auerbach, &
Staiger, 2017). Currently, the highest number of US citizens is above the age of 65 years and in
2029, it is expected that the last baby boomer generation will reach the age of retirement. The
shift will mark an increase of 73% in the population of US citizens above 65 years. The number
is expected drastically rose from 21 million in 2011, to 71 million in 2019. Older adults are
affected mu multiple comorbidities and need treatment for long-term conditions that may strain
the nursing workforce (Haddad & Toney-Butler, 2020). The aging nursing workforce and faculty
also causes reduced enrollment of new nurses and a decline in the quality nursing teaching
programs (Buerhaus et al. 2017). The nursing shortage has resulted in increased turnover, with
the national average rates ranging from 8.8% to 37.0% depending on the geographic region. The
turnover rate continues to worsen the shortage problem (Haddad & Toney-Butler, 2020). The
nursing shortage has been felt in the organization where I work.
A conversation with the General Manager in my organization, revealed that the patient-
to-nurse ration has increased significantly, from 10:1 to 35:1 in five years, due to the rise in
number of clients, and increased turnover among colleagues. Most of the nurses in the
organization are females and leave their profession due to factors such as childbearing, or work-
life balance. There are 32 nurses within the organization and at least 4 nurses leave the
organization annually, while only two to three nurses are recruited into the organization. Over
the past five years, the nursing professionals have reduced from 36, to the current 32. The

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organizational management has also not been able to replace the nurses due to lack of qualified
professionals. The General Manager cited that the shortage of nursing staff is a national issue and
all organizations are competing for the few qualified nurses. The nursing shortages have a
significant clinical significance on our patient outcomes and nursing staff performance. The
nursing shortages result in increased medical errors, high mortality and morbidity rates for
patients, burnout and dissatisfaction among nurses.
Informational Summary
The article by Marć, Bartosiewicz, Burzyńska, Chmiel, and Januszewicz (2019) explored
the selected factors that determine nursing shortages, due to the aging employee era. The article
outlines that the changes in demographics across the globe has resulted in a rise in elderly
population, and decreasing birthrates, resulting in nursing human resource crisis. Using strategic
documents and national listings, and literature review on nursing, Marć et al. (2019) explained
that the nursing shortage is caused by multifaceted factors that have no local or global measure in
nature. The findings align with Drennan & Ross (2019) revealing that the societal context
significantly affects the size and nature of the nursing profession. Political decisions on health
systems recourses allocation, demographics healthcare demands, nursing image and social
inequalities determine the concept of nursing shortages.
From a nurses’ perspective, the work environment significantly contributes to attracting
and retaining quaklified nursing proffessionals. An article by Rivaz, Momennasab, Yektatalab,
and Ebadi (2017) investigated the perception of nurses regarding the major components of their
practice environments. The qualitative study was based on the background that inability to attract
and retain qualified nursing is a global challenge that has contributed to nursing shortage. The
findings revealed that nurses perceived work environments with imbalanced workloads,

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inadequate physical resources and inappropriate patient-to-nurse ration to be of low quality.
Similarly, McHugh, Kutney-Lee, Cimiotti, Sloane, and Aiken (2011) explained that reduces job
satisfaction among nursing staff results in risks to patients, costly labor disputes, and increased
turnover. It is possible to increase the quality of care by implementing strategies to increase
satisfaction among nurses and patients.
Strategies
The literature reveals important strategies that can be used to address the nursing
shortage. Marć et al. (2019) revealed that the strategies that have proved to work for some
organizations include implementation of salary regulation mechanisms, improving the work and
employment conditions for nurses, allowing nurses an opportunity for lifelong learning and
incorporating technological and mobile innovations in nursing processes. Rivaz, et al. (2017)
outlined the importance of appropriate allocation of physical resources, and adequate staffing as
a strategy for improving nursing outcomes and reduce turnover. Rivaz et al. (2017) and McHugh
et al. (2011) acknowledged the importance of improving the nursing working conditions as a
strategy for enhancing retention and attracting new nurses into the organization.
My organization has adopted the recruitment of nursing assistants as a strategy for
addressing the nursing shortage. However, Rosenberg (2019) cautioned on the impact of nursing
shortage of patient safety. Healthcare organizations employ nursing assistants to address the
patient care gap that results from the nursing shortages. However, the author cautioned that
increasing the number of nursing assistants cannot address the nursing shortages, and may have
negative effects on patient outcomes. Presence of nursing assistants within the healthcare system
increases the division of labor and nurses spend less time with patients, which may increase the
death rate. Effective communication between nurses and family members can help to reduce

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medical errors and improve family and patient experience in the face of the nursing shortage
(Rosenberg 2019). Therefore, it is important for the management to focus on improving the
working condition such as salaries regulation, improving equipment’s, allowing life-long
learning, and establishing a culture of effective communication as a strategy to reduce the
turnover and improve retention of nurses.
Conclusion
The nursing shortage is likely to worsen in future due to the changing demographic
changes. However, the challenge can be addressed by countries that have the goodwill of the
policy makers. Favorable nursing policies can focus on improving salaries for nurses, and
allowing them schedules that improve work-life balance. Finally it is important to respect the
nursing profession and enhance sensitivity to challenges in nursing environments. Mishra (2015)
portrayed nursing as a changing profession, with modern nurses expected to take multiple roles
as administrators, researchers. Practitioners and educators. The nursing profession should be
taken with at most seriousness and the challenge of nursing shortage explored in a broader
perspective.
References
Buerhaus, P. I., Skinner, L. E., Auerbach, D. I., & Staiger, D. O. (2017). Four Challenges
Facing the Nursing Workforce in the United States. Journal of Nursing Regulation,
8(2), 40–46. doi:10.1016/s2155-8256(17)30097-2
Drennan, V. M., & Ross, F. (2019). Global nurse shortages—the facts, the impact and action
for change. British medical bulletin, 130(1), 25-37.

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Haddad, L. M., & Toney-Butler, T. J. (2020). Nursing shortage. In StatPearls [Internet].
StatPearls Publishing. Retrieved from
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK493175/
Marć, M., Bartosiewicz, A., Burzyńska, J., Chmiel, Z., & Januszewicz, P. (2019). A nursing
shortage–a prospect of global and local policies. International nursing review, 66(1),
9-16.
McHugh, M. D., Kutney-Lee, A., Cimiotti, J. P., Sloane, D. M., & Aiken, L. H. (2011).
Nurses' widespread job dissatisfaction, burnout, and frustration with health benefits
signal problems for patient care. Health affairs (Project Hope), 30(2), 202–210.
doi:10.1377/hlthaff.2010.0100
Mishra S. (2015). Respect for nursing professional: silence must be heard. Indian heart
journal, 67(5), 413–415. doi:10.1016/j.ihj.2015.07.003
Rivaz, M., Momennasab, M., Yektatalab, S., & Ebadi, A. (2017). Adequate Resources as
Essential Component in the Nursing Practice Environment: A Qualitative
Study. Journal of clinical and diagnostic research : JCDR, 11(6), IC01–IC04.
doi:10.7860/JCDR/2017/25349.9986
Rosenberg, K. (2019). RN Shortages Negatively Impact Patient Safety. AJN, American
Journal of Nursing, 119(3), 51. doi:10.1097/01.naj.0000554040.98991.23