The national healthcare crisis/stressor and its impact on the US
My chosen issue/stressor in national healthcare is nursing shortage. Nursing shortages are a major issue in healthcare delivery. The American Nurses Association (ANA) defines nursing shortage as “the situation in which the demand for nursing services exceeds the supply of nurses available to provide these services” (ANA, 2021).
A nursing shortage can have an impact on the workplace, as it affects the patient’s care and strains the staff. A shortage of nurses can result in increased workloads for the staff, leading to job dissatisfaction and burnout. The result can be a decrease in patient care and outcomes.
As a result of the shortage in nursing, my work environment has introduced several changes. A major change is the creation of retention and recruiting programs. The programs are designed to retain and attract nurses through competitive salaries, benefit packages, and opportunities for professional development. The work environment has also implemented flexible schedules such as job sharing or part-time positions to better accommodate nurses’ needs and help them maintain a work-life-balance.
The health system also collaborated with the nursing schools of localities to offer internships in nursing and clinical experience. This initiative was designed to build a pool of future nursing candidates, and also increase the number qualified nurses. The work setting also implemented a model of shared governance that allows nurses to participate in the decision-making process that impacts their workplace.
The nursing shortage in the United States is an issue of national concern that affects the quality care delivered by healthcare facilities. As a response to the nursing shortage, my work place has introduced several changes that aim at retaining and recruiting nurses, improving patient care and creating a positive workplace. This is crucial in order to combat the nursing crisis and ensure high quality care for patients.
References:
American Nurses Association. (2021). The nursing shortage is expected to be in 2021. Nursing shortage https://www.nursingworld.org/practice-policy/workforce/what-is-the-nursing-shortage/
Buerhaus, P. I., Auerbach, D. I., & Staiger, D. O. (2020). What are the causes of this recent increase in nurses’ employment? Journal of Nursing Regulation. 11(3).
Joint Commission (2018). Strategies for nurse retention. Retrieved from https://www.jointcommission.org/-/media/deprecated-unorganized/imported-assets/tjc/system-folders/topics-library/