Addressing the Nursing Shortage: A Literature Review and Discussion

This report addresses the critical issue of the nursing shortage, particularly within the context of psychiatric nursing. The author, drawing from personal experience and a comprehensive literature review, defines the problem as a lack of adequate staff to provide quality patient care, leading to increased workloads, burnout, and diminished innovation. The report explores various contributing factors, including demographic shifts, stress levels, and management issues. It reviews the findings of several scholarly articles and studies, including those by Judith (2012), Belinda (2009), and Ma et al. (2016), among others. The report discusses potential solutions, such as the implementation of robotics in healthcare, recruitment and retention strategies, and the promotion of employee well-being through incentives and stress management programs. The author concludes by emphasizing the need for collaborative efforts between the government and healthcare sectors to address the nursing shortage and ensure quality patient care.

Running Head: SHORTAGE OF NURSES 1
Shortage of Nurses
Students Name
University Affiliation
Course Code
Date

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Introduction
Healthcare is a broad field that basically defines care to individuals or rather patients in
that manner. Providing care is not a simple task as most people perceive but rather involves a
complex series of activities targeted at ensuring that all individuals that visit the healthcare sector
are accorded special treatment by the medical practitioners. Nurses are crucial in the healthcare
environment and take pride in the work that they deliver on a daily basis, but either way, nurses
also face several challenges, more specifically given the current complex healthcare environment
(Haddad & Toney-Butler, 2019). Being a psychiatric nurse is not an easy task. I am faced with
everyday struggles dealing with my patients. There are several issues that I face as a nurse
according to care to the mentally disturbed. The primary problem that is of concern is the
shortage of staff. This paper is, therefore, going to delve into this issue by providing both the
definition and in-depth knowledge of the same, while at the same time offer the relevant
literature review on the topic under discussion.
Definition of the Issue
The shortage of nursing staff refers to the lack of adequate personnel that can offer
quality care services to patients (Rosseter, 2015). Quality care is a critical factor that all patients
should be accorded with as far as their health is of concern. The shortage of staff in the
healthcare sector is alarming and leaves the few nurses that are available with a burden. Even in
the face of revolution and the new dawn of technology, labor continues to lack in the healthcare
setting. As a nurse faced with the same problem, the issue affects the way I deliver care and most
of the times I feel as though I am not delivering or rather doing enough for my patients, which in
this case, therefore, has made most of the times to be dissatisfied with the way I am performing

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my tasks. Furthermore, I have witnessed a lot of absenteeism and even burnout from my
colleagues as a result of too much workload that leaves most of them tired and also leading
others to appoint where they give up altogether. Increased workload topped up with
dissatisfaction as a result of poor delivery of service is emotionally and physically draining as it
brings about discouragement. Given that most of the patients in the psychiatric ward need a lot of
attention, it becomes tough to maintain order with the same issue discussed at hand. This leads to
chaos in the healthcare setting between the patients and the nurses. Lack of understanding,
therefore, makes it hard to work.
Additionally, the shortage of staff is an obstacle to innovation and creativity. The
shortage of staff does not appropriate free time where individuals can interact to come up with
new ideas. Lack of time is directly proportional to lack/inadequate creativity and innovation
(Holmberg, Caro & Sobis, 2018). Employees, and in this case, as I have witnessed in my
working environment, therefore, the crowd for the old ways of delivering care. This becomes,
thus, an obstacle and limits the chances that the healthcare sector will ever grow. Furthermore,
inadequate staffing affects the possibility of several people coming together to share ideas. The
more the number of people that come together, the higher the chances and opportunities that they
will identify a gap of what is lacking (Bittner & Bechtel, 2017). This requires in the healthcare
sector, given the fact that there are few employees.
Literature review
According to an article by Judith (2012), The Global Nursing Shortage: An Overview of
Issues and Actions, the present nursing shortage is heavily influencing the healthcare system all
over the world. Judith states that a major initiative by the International Council of Nurses

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provided important data on the same topic that is a shortage of staffing in the healthcare sector
and the significant steps that can be adopted to find a solution. In the article, the author presents
an overview of the crisis that the healthcare sector has faced for decades. The author identifies
that a shortage of nurses is gradually impacting the healthcare quality accorded to patients.
Accordingly and in support of the former researcher, Belinda Finlayson, 2009, states that the
trend in the healthcare sector and more so, the shortage of employees is alarming. The author
goes on to suggest that this has, therefore, brought up a catastrophe in the healthcare sector
where high turnover rates have been registered accompanied by low levels of morale from
retained nurses. Additionally, as per Marć, Bartosiewicz, Burzyńska, Chmiel, & Januszewicz,
2019, in the article: A Nursing shortage –A Prospect of Global and Local Policies, the author
introduces a topic where he addresses the selected determinants of nursing shortages in the face
of employee aging. In the article and unlike the two other scholars, the article argues that global
demographic changes have to a systematic increase in the size of the elderly demography and a
lowered total number of births, which have adversely affected the healthcare system of the
world. Given the same, therefore, the article argues that there have been significant shortages in
the number of individuals that can deliver these services hence the experiences of the adverse
effects today. As per the authors, the nursing industry has, therefore, suffered a human resource
catastrophe. As per the article, there is an expected 56% increase in the number of individuals
aged 60 and above, a population of 901 million people between 2015 and 2030.
Moreover Ma et al., 2016 in the article, the Predictors of work stress among Psychiatric
Nurses in Rural and Urban Settings in Taiwan, proved that shortage of nurses is directly related
to stress. In the article, the authors found out that the nurses in the urban centers suffered from
more stress as compared to their counterparts in the rural areas. The article reveals that the

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number of patients that the nurses in the urban area dealt with in the urban area was higher as
compared to those that their colleagues in the remote areas dealt with. Given the high number of
patients in the urban areas, Psychiatric nurses in this setting suffered from stress and depression,
with high turnover rates registered. In this manner, therefore, it is evident that the article supports
the notion highlighted in the article by Finlayson in the article: Mind the gap: the extent of the
NHS nursing shortage, those high turnover rates are directly related to the shortage of staff.
Consequently, Hoseini-Esfidarjani & Negarandeh, 2017, in the article: A New View Towards
Resolving The Nursing Shortage Challenge agree that nurses form the core part of the health
care system. Hence, nursing shortage is a primary problem in the healthcare sector.
Similarly, like most authors Chan, Tam, Lung, Wong, et al., 2013) in the article: A
systematic literature review of nurse shortage and the intention to leave. Journal of nursing
management, conquer that nurses shortages is a crisis that is wrecking the healthcare sector. The
articles, therefore, like the article: A New View towards Resolving the Nursing Shortage
Challenge tries to understand the reasons why nurses opt-out of their employment and
furthermore explores the strategies that can be used to increase retention. Like most of the
studies by different scholars, Duvall, & Andrews, (2010) in their article in the Journal of
Professional Nursing, identified the key causes of nurses shortages. The article states that the
major causes of nurse shortages were mainly due to management problems, job stress, job
design, physical demands, and a failure to nurture new nurses. Unlike most studies stated above,
this research fails to state the interventions that can be adapted to combat these issues. Therefore,
the research is not sufficient enough when compared to others. Lastly, as per (Negarandeh, 2015)
in the article: Facing nursing shortage: a complex challenge, the author provides a
comprehensive look at the results of numerous research studies showing the relationship between

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the ratio of nurses accorded top patients compared to the quality of care they receive in the long
run. As per the author, the less the ratio accorded, the more the adverse results for the individual
under care. The author furthermore, progresses to suggest a mandated nurse-patient ratio to
ensure that quality care is accorded to all patients. The author progresses to suggest that a
suitable ratio reduces the readmission rates, patients safety and furthermore, ensure excellent
outcomes. Also, as per the author, this will reduce burnout and increase retention capability.
Discussion
Following the underlying issue at hand within the pediatric nursing setting, several
measures can be undertaken to promote changes for the wellbeing of the patients. Different
authors advocate for the need to execute appropriate means of promoting nurses adequacy in the
pediatric nursing setting. For instance, Judith (2012) argues for the need for the International
Council of Nurses to take action. In Judith’s support, Belinda (2009) stresses the need to take
action. But unlike the former, the latter scholar deems modernization as the ultimate solution to
the problems that the healthcare sector faces. As per the author, she states that there is a need to
make the available staffs adopt a criterion in which they change the manner they work and that
they are motivated to ensure that they yield maximum results. Hoseini-Esfidarjani &
Negarandeh, 2017 on the other hand are mainly concerned with assessing the extent of
recruitment and retention as far as nursing is concerned. Their article tries to come up with new
ways of combating the shortage. The article takes a strategy as that of the article by Marc et al.
that there is a need to analyze the forces of demand and supply. But unlike, in the study by Marc
et al, the article comes up with a solution. The study in the article by Marc et al; critically studies
the problem and the major issue that brings nurses shortages, that is, demographic factors
whereas this article present a solution, stating that there is need to regulate the forces of demand

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and supply to combat the menace of nurse shortage. The article suggests that there is a need to
ensure that the number of graduates in nursing should appropriately replace those employees that
are retiring.
Surprisingly and unlike all the other studies from the other researchers, Baumgarten,
Jacobs, & Graf, (2018, June), the Robotic Service Assistant-Relieving the Nursing Staff of
Workload came up with a different view of how the issue of nursing shortage can be countered.
The article introduces us to a scenario where robotics can be used in the face of a shortage of
nurse-due to changes in demography and difficult work situations. The article states that
Robotics would be very helpful and especially by creating a conducive environment and making
work easier for the nurses. The Robots, as per the article, would be used to support the nurses at
nurses' homes and other related facilities. This would ensure easier delivery of services to the
patients and reduce workload. Unlike most of the articles above, this article tries to incorporate
technology into the healthcare sector to ensure the smooth running of operations.
Therefore, it is fundamental to appropriately implement the suggested approaches in
promoting change within the healthcare sector, particularly curbing pediatric nurses shortage in
the clinical setting. These strategies include, assessment of the forces of supply and demand, use
of appropriate technology like robotics, proper recruitment and selection of employees,
performance of training and development programs, promoting employee retention through
provision incentives, and implementation of stress management programs among the nurses.
Therefore, nursing shortages can be minimized through retention, hiring, technological
advancement, education and good work environment to minimize turnovers.

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Conclusion
In conclusion, it is evident that the nursing sector is bound to suffer if the government
and the healthcare sector fail to come together to come up with the best interventions to counter
the menace that the health sector is currently facing. Timely solutions have to be found and
implemented before the healthcare system collapses (Snavely, 2016). It is of paramount
significance that the recruitment process of new nurses is intensified and that there is a need to
train more personnel in the same field to ensure a smooth transition between the forces of
demand and supply of nurses. Moreover, it is significant that the management board of all
healthcare facilities act accordingly to ensure that there is a balance and that the nurses are not
overloaded with work. Lastly, and of significance, there is a need that all governments increase
funding to the healthcare sector (Nardi & Gyurko, 2013). Finances and support from the
government are key to ensuring the affordability of quality care to all individuals.

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